What to Know About the Speckled Pigeon in Uganda?

The Speckled Pigeon in Uganda is one of the African birds of Uganda seen during Uganda birding safaris. The speckled pigeon, or African rock pigeon, is a pigeon that is a resident breeding bird in much Uganda.

It is a common and widespread species in open habitats over much of its range, although there are sizable gaps in its distribution. It has a length between 32 to 36cm and weight 250 to 350g.

How Does the Speckled Pigeon in Uganda Look Like?

Adult has blue-grey upperparts, and maroon mantle with light purplish reflections. On the wings, inner wing-coverts and tertials are maroon, slightly marked with grey.

Outer wing-coverts are grey. We can see large part of wings boldly tipped with numerous white triangles, becoming narrow white fringe on outer greater coverts. Flight feathers are dull grey-brown.

Back to rump is pale grey, ending into darker grey upper tail coverts. All feathers show pale grey tips. Tail is dark grey with broad black terminal band.

Underparts are blue-grey, paler on belly. Underwings are pale grey, with blackish undersides of primaries and secondaries.

Under tail feathers are grey with pale tips. Under tail is blackish with pale grey bases in outer feathers. Head is blue-grey.

Chin is whitish and throat is pale blue-grey. Upper breast and neck are rusty-red with blue-grey tips to elongated feathers.

Lower breast is blue-grey. We can see a conspicuous elliptical bare red skin patch around the eye, from lores to ear coverts.

Eyes are golden yellow. Bill is blackish with whitish cere. Legs and feet are purplish-pink

Both sexes are similar. Juvenile is browner and duller than adults. Orbital skin is browner too.

How Does the Speckled Pigeon in Uganda Sing and Make Calls?

Speckled Pigeon gives loud, explosive cooing “doo doo doo” or “whu whu whu whu-WHU” uttered with force and volume.

How Does the Speckled Pigeon in Uganda Feed?

Speckled Pigeon gather in large numbers where grain or groundnuts are abundant. It is very gregarious and flocks may reach several hundreds of birds, mixed with other pigeon’s species and doves.

How Does the Speckled Pigeon in Uganda Nest?

It may nest singly or in colonies. Nest is situated on a cliff, in tree or in building. We can find various kinds of constructions, such as scrapes, or loose cup with a few twigs, or even large platform of twigs. Interior is lined with small twigs or grass.

How Does the Speckled Pigeon in Uganda Breed?

Speckled Pigeon breeds year-round in most parts of its range. When pair is formed, male attracts its mate into potential nest-site by some postures such as crouching down, lowering the head and twitching its wings.

At the same time, it utters vocalizes. Male also performs bowing display and flight display. It flies up with clapping wings, then, it performs a glide on stiff wings slightly below body level. It can repeat this flight display several times.

How Does the Speckled Pigeon in Uganda Reproduce?

Female lays 1 to 3 white eggs. Incubation lasts about 14 to 18 days, shared by both parents. Chicks are fed by both adults, with crop-milk, as other Columbidae.

Several days later, young begin to eat small pieces of food brought at nest by adults. They fledge about 20 to 25 days after hatching.