What to Know About the Ring-necked Dove in Uganda?

The Ring-Necked Dove in Uganda is one of the African Uganda Birds seen during Birding in Uganda. The ring-necked dove, also known as the Cape turtle dove or half-collared dove, is a widespread and often abundant dove species in East and southern Africa.

It is a mostly sedentary bird, found in a catholic variety of open habitats. Within range, its penetrating and rhythmic, three-syllabled crooning is a familiar sound at any time of the year.

Its name is derived from the semi-collar of black feathers on the lower nape, a feature shared with a number of Streptopelia species.

Like all doves they depend on surface water. They congregate in large flocks at waterholes in dry regions to drink and bath. They measure 25–26.5 cm in length and weigh 92–188 g.

How Does the Ring-necked Dove in Uganda Look Like?

Their body feathers are darkest on the upper side, where they are colored in dull tones of grey and brown, with shades of lavender on the nape.

It is paler below, where a tint of pinkish lavender is usually present. The lower belly and crissum (the under tail coverts surrounding the cloaca) is white.

As with related species, they have white fringes and conspicuous white tips to the otherwise slate grey tail feathers. The tail pattern is particularly noticeable during the display flight.

Individual plumage variation is high, with some light and others almost sooty. Males and females look alike, although the males are slightly bigger.

The eyes are almost black, the bill is black and the feet are dark purple. An immature is duller and lacks the semi-collar of an adult.

It also has buff edges to all the upper part and wing covert feathers, while the plumage below is broadly edged greyish-white.

How Does the Ring-necked Dove in Uganda Sing and Make Calls?

Their song is a loud and harsh “kuk-COORRRR-uk, … (sometimes interpreted as ‘how’s father?’ or ‘work harder’) which they may repeat ten to forty times.

Less often a repeated “wuh-ka-RROOO,” may be given. A raspy, snarling “kooorr”, or “knarrrrrr”, call is often given when it alights on a perch.

How Does the Ring-necked Dove in Uganda Feed?

Ring-necked doves roost in treetops during the night and forage for food on the ground by day. Peak foraging times are early morning and late afternoon, and they drink mainly in the morning.

When they walk on the ground, their heads bob back and forth with each small step

They feed mainly on seeds of grasses, cereal grains, lupins, milkweeds,  alien acacias and pines, but also on broken fruit and berries of oaks, gums, currants and Lantana, and insects on occasion (earthworms, termites, weevils and other).

Other recorded food items include small sedge bulbs, fleshy succulent leaves, aloe nectar and sugary aphid secretions.

How Does the Ring-necked Dove in Uganda Nest?

The female takes two to three days to construct the flimsy, platform nest. It is made of twigs and leaf petioles that are carefully selected by the male (as in other dove species), and delivered to her at the nest site.

The nest is placed 2 to 10 meters above ground, on a horizontal branch fork. Quite often an old nest of another species may be used.

How Does the Ring-necked Dove in Uganda Breed?

They are monogamous, territorial nesters. Males display by flapping up a steep gradient before spiraling down with wings and tail spread out.

From a perch or on the ground the male will engage in a bowing display, synchronized with a rolling crooning, “uk-carrroooo, …”, while the throat is inflated.

A pair will give a double coo with a long second syllable when selecting a nest site.

How Does the Ring-necked Dove in Uganda Reproduce?

Two to four pure white eggs are laid, and both sexes participate in the incubation that takes around two weeks.

Chicks are fed regurgitated food by both parents and fledge after about 16 days. Several broods (up to 5) may be raised in a season.