Eurasian Collared Dove

The Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia Decaocto), a species of dove native to Asia and Europe, is commonly found around Tiruvannamalai. This bird is known as ‘Sambal Pura’ in Tamil Nadu. It is the size of a pigeon and in colouration a pale grey and brown with a narrow black half-collar on the back of its neck

A Collared Dove on Samudram

The Collared Dove is not wary and often feeds close to human habitation, including visiting gardens, bird tables and verandahs.

Can be Easily Persuaded to Come
to Humans

The song is a coo-COO-coo, repeated many times.







The sexes look alike and the bird is almost always seen in pairs and, like many birds, remains loyal to their mate.







It nests practically all year typically in a twig platform located in a bush or small tree and prefers to breed close to human habitation where food resources are abundant and there are trees for nesting; almost all nests are within a kilometre of inhabited buildings.







The female lays two white eggs, which she incubates during the night and which the male incubates during the day. Incubation lasts between fourteen and eighteen days, with the young fledging leaving after fifteen to nineteen days. Both sexes share domestic duties.

Breeding occurs throughout the year when abundant food is available. Three to four broods per year is common, and up to six broods in a year has been recorded.











Its a gregarious species and if there are large food supplies, it congregates in sizable winter flocks.

To look at more videos and photographs of the Eurasian Collared Dove go to this link here.