| Columbiformes |
| Birds are a very large family of animals, so many, that they are broken down into groups by order, according to the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy- a new and increasingly approved taxonomy based on DNA analysis, as opposed to the older taxonomy, which was more based on appearance, geography, and behavior. |
| Ring-Necked Dove (Cape Turtle Dove) |
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Species:
Streptopelia capicola Length: 10" (25cm) |
| Serengeti | |
| I call the Ring-Necked Dove, or Cape Turtle Dove, the "Soundtrack of
Africa Bird". We heard it constantly, no matter where we were.
It formed the backdrop of our trip- it was the background music. We
woke up to it every morning and loved it. Here, it is visiting an in-ground bird bath at Ndutu Safari Lodge, set up by the staff for the enjoyment of the guests. Behind the dove are Fischer's Lovebirds- which you can read more about in the Psittaciformes gallery in this section. Cape Turtle Doves eat mostly seeds, but occasionally add insects to the mix, especially flying ants. |
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Here's a broader view of the bird bath, and some Fischer's Lovebirds sharing the water with a couple of Cape Turtle Doves. |
