What to Know About the Black-billed Wood Dove in Uganda?

The Black-Billed Wood-Dove in Uganda is one of the African Uganda Birds seen during Birding Safaris. The black-billed wood dove is a pigeon which is a widespread resident breeding bird in a belt across Africa specifically in Uganda.

The Black-billed Wood Doves– also known as Uganda or Sudan Black-billed Wood Doves are widespread in a belt across Africa just south of the Sahara Desert.

They are also sometimes referred to as “Blue-spotted Wood Doves,” leading to confusion with the related and similar, Blue-spotted Wood Doves.

They are closely related to the Emerald-spotted Wood Doves with whom they have formerly been considered nonspecific-one and the same species.

The Black-billed Wood Doves occur in the drier parts of tropical Africa, north of the equator.

How Does the Black-billed Wood Dove in Uganda Look Like?

Black-billed Wood Doves are small plump pigeons that measure 19 – 20 cm in length and weigh about 2.3 65 grams.

Their bills are black, as suggested by the common name. The back, wings and tail are pale grey-brown. There are two dark bands across the lower back and tail.

The forehead, crown and nape back of the neck are bluish grey, fading to whitish on the face. The folded wings have distinctive dark glossy patches.

The plumage below is a creamy a pinkish cream, turning white on the abdomen. The legs are purplish and the eyes brown.

Their flight is quick and characterized by regular beats and occasional sharp flicks of the wings; and they generally fly low.

In flight, the chestnut markings in the underwings are visible. Males and females look alike. Juveniles are duller than adults. They are scaly below and lack the wing spots.

How Does the Black-billed Wood Dove in Uganda Sing and Make Calls?

Their calls are described as a soft long coo-coo, followed by a series of slow descending coos lasting about 10 seconds, and ending with 4 seconds of rapid coos that decrease in volume.

How Does the Black-billed Wood Dove in Uganda Feed?

Eats mostly seeds of grasses, seeds and herbs, each weighing 0·2–0·5 mg; occasionally takes much larger items. Most foraging occurs on the ground.

How Does the Black-billed Wood dove in Uganda Nest?

They build flimsy stick nests in the branches of trees (often acacias) or bushes making sure that the nests are well hidden in dense green foliage.

How Does the Black-billed Wood Dove in Uganda Breed?

Pairs are monogamous, establishing firm bonds that last a lifetime.

How Does the Black-billed Wood Dove in Uganda Reproduce?

The average clutch consists of two cream-colored eggs. The parents take turn in incubating the eggs for about 13 – 17 days to hatching and the nestlings fledge (leave the nest) about 2 weeks later.

Pairs raise their young jointly to independence.