Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis)
Order: COLUMBIFORMES
Family: COLUMBIDAE Doves, Pigeons
Scientific name: Streptopelia chinensis
English name: Spotted Dove
Characteristic: Size 30 cm. Head grey with conspicuous white-spotted black collar band; upperpart brown streaked over with black; breast and upper belly reddish brown; under tail coverts white; beak black; legs red.
Distribution: India, China, Southeast Asia, Hainan, Taiwan, the Greater Sundas, the Lesser Sundas, Palawan to Australia and New Zealand.
Habitat: Scrub forest, open field, open forest, agricutural areas and around human habitation; from the plain to 1,800 m. altitude. In Sakaerat forest, it lives all over the dry dipterocarp forest, dry evergreen forest, and the ecotone between both forest types.
Habit: Seen mostly in pairs or small flocks, perching on roadside electric or telegram wires or on dry branches. Feeds by day on cereal grain, tree seeds, insects and worms on dirt roads or general grounds. It is popularly raised as a cagebird, because its soft, murmuring sound will give its owner a pleased feeling. In nature, these coos are used in advertising territory and attracting mates. This dove breeds from March to July, during which a simple platform nest is constructed of interwoven twigs and grass stems. the normal clutch is two whitish eggs that requiring 14-15 days for incubation.
Status: Aresident bird; seldomly seen in Sakaerat forest.
