Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis) from Sauraha, Chitwan Nepal

Spotted Dove
Individual with plumage pattern of S. c. tigrina(Austins Ferry, Tasmania)
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Columbiformes
Family:	Columbidae
Genus:	Spilopelia
Species:	S. chinensis
Binomial name
Spilopelia chinensis (Scopoli, 1768)
Subspecies
chinensis Scopoli, 1768 ceylonensis Reichenbach, 1862 hainana Hartert, 1910 suratensis JF Gmelin, 1789 tigrina Temminck, 1811
Synonyms
Streptopelia chinensis Stigmatopelia chinensis

• The Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis) is a small and somewhat long-tailed pigeon which is a common resident breeding bird across its native range on the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. 
• The species has been introduced into many parts of the world and feral populations have become established.
•  This species was formerly included in the genus Streptopelia with other turtle-doves, but studies suggest that they differ from typical members of that genus.
•  This dove is long tailed buff brown with a white-spotted black collar patch on the back and sides of the neck. 
• The tail tips are white and the wing coverts have light buff spots. 
• There is considerable plumage variations across populations within its wide range. 
• The species is found in light forests and gardens as well as in urban areas. 
• They fly off from the ground with an explosive flutter and will sometimes glide down to a perch. It is sometimes also called the Chinese Dove, Mountain Dove, Pearl-necked Dove or Lace-necked Dove.
• The ground colour of this long and slim dove is rosy buff below shading grey on the head and belly. 
• There is a half collar on the back and sides of the neck made of black feathers that bifurcate and have white spots at the two tips.
•  The back has brown feathers with rufous spots in the Indian and Sri Lankan subspecies.
•  The lesser median coverts are grey brown. The Indian and Sri Lankan populations have these coverts with rosy spots at the tip divided by a widening dark grey streak along the shaft. 
• The primary coverts are dark brown. The wing feathers are dark brow with grey edges. 
• The centre of the abdomen and vent are white. The outer tail feathers are tipped in white and become visible when the bird takes off.
•  Sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller than adults and do not acquire the neck spots until they are mature. The length ranges from 28 to 32 centimetres (11.2 to 12.8 inches)
• The Spotted Dove in its native range in Asia is found across a range of habitats including woodland, scrub, farmland and habitation. In India it tends to be found in the moister regions, with the Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) being commoner in the drier areas. 
• These doves are mostly found on the ground where they forage for seeds and grain or on low vegetation.
• Spotted Doves move around in pairs or small groups as they forage on the ground for grass seeds, grains, fallen fruits and seeds of other plants. 
• They may however take insects occasionally and have been recorded feeding on winged termites. 
• The flight is quick with regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings. 
• A display flight involves taking off at a steep angle with a loud clapping of the wing and then slowly gliding down with the tail spread out.
• The vocalizations of the Spotted Dove include cooing softly with a Krookruk-krukroo... kroo kroo kroo with the number of terminal kroos varying in the Indian population and absent in tigrina and other populations to the east