What to Know About the African Mourning Dove in Uganda?

The African Mourning Dove in Uganda is one of the African Uganda birds seen during Uganda birding safaris. The mourning collared dove, or African mourning is a dove which is a widespread resident breeding bird in Africa, mostly Uganda.

Despite its name, it is not a close relative of the North American mourning dove, Zenaida macroura. This species is common or abundant near water. They often mingle peacefully with other doves.

How Does the African Mourning Dove in Uganda Look Like?

The African Mourning Dove measures up to 31cm in length, including the tail. The back, wings and tail are pale brown.

The head is grey and the underparts are pinkish, shading to pale grey on the abdomen. There is a black hind neck patch edged with white. The legs and a patch of bare skin around the eye are red.

When flying, it shows blackish flight feathers and extensive white in the tail, the latter being a distinction from the similar but larger Red-eyed Dove.

Males and females look alike, but immatures are duller than adults, and have scalloping on the body feathers.

How Does the African Mourning Dove in Uganda Sing and Make Calls?

The calls are described as a fast krrrrrrrr, oo-OO, oo.

How Does the African Mourning Dove in Uganda Feed?

Mourning collared doves eat grass seeds, grains and other vegetation. They are quite terrestrial, and usually forage on the ground.

Unlike several other species in this genus, they are quite gregarious and often feed in groups.

How Does the African Mourning Dove in Uganda Nest?

The female builds the nest with material collected by the male, consisting of a 15cm wide bowl, made with twigs, leaves and roots, and typically placed in forks in trees 1.5-15.0m above ground.

How Does the African Mourning Dove in Uganda Reproduce?

Females lay two white eggs at a time, incubation by both parents 14-17 days. Squabs fledge within two weeks, young are independent within another three weeks. Males can become aggressive during breeding periods.