Emerald-Spotted Wood Dove
Turtur chalcospilos
Also known as: Emerald-Spotted Dove
Habitat
Ground
Diet
PlantSeed
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
61 g
About This Species
A shy, ground-foraging dove of African woodland and thicket, usually detected by its soft, descending, mournful call before it is seen walking quietly through leaf litter. It feeds on fallen seeds and forages close to cover, flushing with a burst of rapid wingbeats and a flash of iridescent green wing patches when disturbed. Early morning and late afternoon in dry woodland are the most reliable times to find it feeding on the ground.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Because it is easily flushed, the best views come from staying still near a known feeding area rather than walking toward a bird on the ground.
- Wildlife protection rules vary across its sub-Saharan African range, so no single legal standard applies everywhere, and the cautious approach is to keep enough distance that the bird continues feeding undisturbed.
- Avoiding sudden movement near woodland floor cover gives the best chance of an extended view.
LCAvesColumbiformesColumbidae
Seasonal Activity
188,419 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Family
- Columbidae
Traits
- Diet
- PlantSeed
- Foraging
- Ground
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 61 g
Photo
(c) magdastlucia, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by magdastlucia
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.