Pigeons and doves

Order Columbiformes (Pigeons)
Family Columbidae (Pigeons)
The sandgrouse used to be grouped in the same order but has since been separated (Order Pteroclidiformes) and placed between the waders and pigeons. This order contains not only pigeons but also the extinct dodos. The passenger pigeon of North America joined the extinct dodos in 1914. There is really no good distinction between pigeons and doves, although the latter are generally smaller. We'll use 'pigeon' to refer to both. Pigeons are see-eaters or frugivores. They produce crop milk to feed their chicks. The world has 308 species of pigeons.

There are 12 species to be found in Singapore. The most common is the Rock Pigeon. The Zebra and Spotted Doves are two very common brown pigeons in Singapore. They can be distinguished by their size and body patterns. The Spotted Dove is larger and has spots on the back of the neck, while the Zebra Dove is smaller and has bars at the back of the neck. The Red Collared Dove does look like a brown pigeon at a distance, but up close they look red (female looks brown) and there is a black collar instead of spots and bars. The next pigeon one is likely to encounter is the Pink-necked Green Pigeon. This is a colourful pigeon. The other 7 are uncommon or rare.

Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata)

(Tan KH)

It was previously confused with the Peaceful Dove (Geopelia placida), which is native to Australia. They look alike and both are greyish-brown with bars all over the body, as well as the blue skin around the eyes. A popular caged bird in Singapore.

Common resident breeder
Length: 20-22cm
Habitat: Urban area
Native Distribution: Peninsula Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia
Introduced Distribution: Hawaii (1922), Philippines, Seychelles

Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis)

(Lau SY)

Formerly known as Spotted-necked Dove because of the spots on the back of the neck. This native to South Asia has been introduced to other countries. It is a frequently poached bird in Singapore and is a popular caged bird, eventhough they can only coo.

Abundant resident breeder
Length: 28-32cm
Flight: Strong swift direct with rapid wing beats
Habitat: Urban area
Native Distribution: India, Sri Lanka to S China to SE Asia
Introduced Distribution: SW CA, US (1917), Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand
Nest: Stick nest in tree
Diet: Seed

Red Collared Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica)

Male at Tampines (Danny Lau) Male at Lor Halus (Tan KH)
Also known as the Red Turtle Dove. The male has a reddish body with black collar on the back of the neck and bluish-grey head, rump and uppertail. The female is more reddish-brown all over. Juvenile is like the female but without a collar. This bird is not native to Singapore, but is doing well in dry open areas like Lorong Halus, Changi grassland, Neo Tiew Lane, Pulau Ubin.

Common introduced resident breeder
Length: 23cm
Habitat: open grassland
Distribution: S Asia
Diet: Seed

Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica)

Male Emerald Dove. Left: Sime Forest (Con Foley), centre: Sime Forest (Danny Lau), right: Sungei Buloh (Danny Lau)


Juvenile at Kranji Nature Trail (Danny Lau)

Also known as Green-winged Pigeon. Can be seen on the ground along trails in forests and mangroves. They have emerald green back and wings, pinkish-brown head and body. The male has a grey cap which the female lacks. Juvenile like female. Sighted at Sime Forest, Sungei Buloh, Bukit Timah, Pulau Ubin.

Uncommon resident
Length: 23-28cm
Habitat: Forest, mangrove
Distribution: India to Indonesia, N, E Australia
Nest: Stick nest in tree
Diet: Seed, fruit

Jambu Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus jambu)

Female, Bukit Batok Nature Park (Tan KH) Female, Sime Forest (Yamane Yoshio)

Juvenile, Botanic Gardens (Lau SY) Female, Panti Forest (Danny Lau)

Chinese Garden. Left Male, Right Female (Tan GC)

They have white eye ring, yellow bill, green upperpart. The male has a dark pink face, pink breast and white underpart. The female has a light purple face, green breast, white belly. The juvenile is like female but with green face. Unlike the emerald doves, they are found in trees instead of on the ground. Can be found at Sime Forest, Bukit Batok Nature Park, Botanic Gardens, Japanese Garden.

Uncommon non-breeding visitor
Length: 23-27cm
Habitat: Mangrove, forest, woodland
Distribution: S Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia
Nest: Stick-and-grass nest in tree
Diet: Fruit

Thick-billed Green Pigeon (Treron curvirostra)

Male at Sime forest Jelutong tower (Yamane Yoshio). Left male, right female at Bukit Timah Summit (Tan GC).


Nee Soon Swamp. Left female, right male (Danny Lau)

The male has maroon wings, green eye skin patch and green underpart. The female is green all over. Central Catchment is one sure place to see this bird.

Uncommon resident breeder
Length: 25-27cm
Habitat: Forest
Distribution: Indian subcontinent, China, SE Asia

Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon (Treron fulvicollis)

Male at Vita-Penawar Plantation near Desaru (Tan GC).


Left: Male, Right: female at Panti, Malaysia (Lau JS)

The male has bright orange head and maroon wings, while the female is green all over. Might be extinct in Thailand. Sighted at Pulau Ubin, Sungei Buloh.

Rare non-breeding visitor
Length: 25-26cm
Habitat: Forest, mangrove, wooded area
Distribution: Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei

Little Green Pigeon (Treron olax)

Females left (Danny Lau), male right (Tan KH) at Panti, Malaysia

Also has maroon wings, but lacks the eye patch and has a grey head and orange breast. Like most green-pigeon females, the female is green all over. Sighted at Bukit Timah, Central Catchment.

Rare resident
Length: 20cm
Habitat: Forest
Distribution: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia

Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans)

Left: male, Right: females (Lau SY)


Male (Tan KH) Female (Tan KH) Male (Fong CW)
A very common bird in wooded area regardless of forest, mangrove, garden or urban area. Looks like Rock Pigeon, but much more colourful. The male has a pink neck, orange breast, green belly and wings. The female is green overall. Juvenile like female.

Common resident breeder
Length: 30-35cm
Habitat: Garden, wooded area, forest, mangrove, urban area
Distribution: SE Asia

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)

(Tan KH) (Lau SY)
Previously known as Rock Dove, it is officially known as Rock Pigeon now. It is commonly simply called 'pigeon'. In Singapore, it is feral, which means their ancestors escaped from domestication into the wild. Being highly adaptable, they have been successfully introduced to all over the world. They have many morphs, from all white to black-and-white, white-and-brown to blue-and-grey. Due to their uncanning ability to return to their point of release, they were used as homing pigeons. They were also bred for food. They are now more of a pest and their droppings carry diseases.

Abundant introduced resident breeder
Length: 30-35cm
Wingspan: 62-68cm
Habitat: Cliffs (wild), Urban (feral)
Distribution: Native to W, S Europe, N Africa, SW Asia; introduced all over the world
Nest: Grass on ledge in cave (wild), building (feral)
Diet: Seeds, grains, bread

Pied Imperial Pigeon (Ducula bicolor)

Zoo (Tan GC)

This large pigeon is almost all white except for the black flight feathers and tail. A flock of free-ranging pigeons from the birdpark has been spotted around Jurong area (e.g. Jurong Lake, Poyan). Other places are southern islands, Labrador Park, Bukit Batok West.

Rare non-breeding visitor
Length: 37-44cm
Habitat: Island, mangrove, forest, woodland
Distribution: Nicobar Island to New Guinea, Australia
Nest: Stick nest in tree
Diet: Fruit

Green Imperial Pigeon (Ducula aenea)

1 Green Imperial Pigeon with 2 Pied Imperial Pigeons at Jurong Birdpark (Tan KH)

A large pigeon with white head and underpart, and green back, wings and tail. Sexes similar. Sighted at Bukit Batok Nature Park.

Rare accidental
Length: 40-45cm
Habitat: Upper canopy of forest
Distribution: India to Indonesia
Nest: Stick nest in tree
Diet: Fruit

Pigeons outside Singapore

Mourning Doves, Boise, US (Tan KH) Eurasian Collared Dove, India (Lau SY)

Lesser Cuckoo-dove, Fraser's Hill, Malaysia (Tan GC) Mountain Imperial Pigeons, Genting, Malaysia (Tan GC)

Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Fraser's Hill, Malaysia (Con Foley) Oriental Turtle Dove, Japan (Yamane Yoshio)
 
Crested Pigeon, Adelaide, Australia (Tan KH)