1-6-2019 LINYANTI CAMP, BOTSWANA - EMERALD SPOTTED WOOD DOVE (Turtur chalcospilos)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/3327-Turtur-chalcospilos

20-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - EMERALD SPOTTED WOOD DOVE (Turtur chalcospilos)

The emerald-spotted wood dove or emerald-spotted dove (Turtur chalcospilos) is a bird of the family Columbidae, resident across eastern and southern Africa. It is a species of open drier deciduous woodland and second growth. It is absent from evergreen rainforests and semidesert areas.

The emerald-spotted wood dove is a small plump pigeon, typically 20 cm in length. Its back, hindneck, wings, and tail are pale grey-brown, and the folded wings have green metallic patches. There are blackish bands on the lower back and tail. The forehead, crown, and nape are bluish-grey, fading to pinkish-grey on the throat. The underparts are mauve-pink, becoming whiter on the belly.

The bill of this dove is blackish with a red base. The sexes are similar, but the female may be slightly duller than the male. The immature has duller green spots and buff fringes to the feathers. When flying, the black-billed wood dove is told from this species by its bright chestnut underwings.

The call is in three parts: two soft long coos, followed by a series of slow descending coos lasting 10 seconds, and concluding with 4 seconds of rapid coos, which decrease in volume.

This species shows some geographical variation in plumage, but differences are clinal, and emerald-spotted wood dove is now considered to be monotypic.

23-5-2019 MANA POOLS, ZIMBABWE - EMERALD SPOTTED WOOD DOVE (Turtur chalcospilos)

8-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - EMERALD SPOTTED WOOD DOVE (Turtur chalcospilos)

The emerald-spotted wood dove is a small pigeon, about \(20\) cm long, known for its metallic green wing spots, which are a key identification feature. It inhabits woodlands and savannas across sub-Saharan Africa, feeding on seeds and small invertebrates on the ground. Nests are built as a platform of twigs and roots, usually in a tree or bush, and both parents participate in raising the young.

Identification Size: Approximately \(20\) cm (7.5–8 inches) long and weighing around \(55-65\) grams.Plumage: Features bluish-grey on the head, a pinkish-grey throat, and pinkish underparts that fade to white on the belly.Wings: Folded wings have distinctive, dark metallic green patches that give the bird its name.

Distinguishing features: In flight, the underwings show bright chestnut markings. The bill is dark with a red base.Sexes: Males and females look similar, though females may be slightly duller. 

Behavior Diurnal: They are active during the day.Foraging: They are ground foragers that often walk in a zigzag pattern.

Vocalization: Known for their melancholic call, which consists of a series of coos. Habitat and diet Habitat: Found in dry woodlands, open woodlands, savannas, and gardens, but not in arid areas or dense rainforests.

Diet: Primarily feeds on seeds and fallen fruit, also consuming small invertebrates like termites and small molluscs. 

Reproduction Nesting: They build a platform nest of twigs, roots, and grass in a tree, bush, or aloe, typically 0.5-6 meters above the ground.Eggs: The female lays 1-2 eggs.Incubation: Incubation is performed mainly by the female for about 17 days.Chicks: The young stay in the nest for 15-17 days before leaving.