Spotted Dove
Streptopelia chinensis
Complete identification, biology, and professional control methods
For effective control and prevention, professional pest management is recommended.
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Spotted Dove At-A-Glance
Key facts and characteristics
Complete Spotted Dove Guide
Professional identification and control information
Biology & Lifecycle
Understanding Spotted Dove biology and development
Lifecycle Details
Egg Stage
The nest is a flimsy platform of twigs, rootlets, and grasses, often so sparsely built that the eggs can be seen from below. It is typically placed in a tree, dense shrub, or increasingly on man-made structures like building ledges, beams, and in hanging baskets. The female lays a clutch of two small, white, glossy eggs.
Adult Stage
Once independent, young birds join local foraging flocks. They reach sexual maturity at a young age and can begin breeding in their first year. Spotted Doves can live for several years in the wild.
Pupal Stage
This is the fledgling period. The young doves develop rapidly and are ready to leave the nest (fledge) at around 14-17 days old. After fledging, they remain nearby and are fed by their parents for another week or two until they become fully independent.
Larval Stage
This is the nestling or 'squab' stage. Both parents incubate the eggs, which hatch after about 14-16 days. The squabs are altricial and are fed 'crop milk', a high-energy, cheese-like secretion produced in the crops of both parents. After a few days, this is supplemented with seeds.
Seasonal Cycle
While they can breed at any time of year, there is a peak in breeding activity during spring and summer, coinciding with maximum food availability. They do not migrate and are resident in their territories year-round.
Development Time
The entire cycle from egg-laying to the independence of the young is very fast, taking approximately 5-6 weeks.
Reproduction Rate
They are prolific breeders. In the warm climates of their Australian range, they can breed year-round, potentially raising five or six broods in a single year.
Generations Per Year
Multiple generations per year are possible due to their extended breeding season.
Maximum Temperature
Well-adapted to hot summer conditions, provided water is available.
Minimum Temperature
They are less common in areas with severe frosts or very cold winters, which likely limits their southward expansion.
Optimal Temperature
They thrive in warm, temperate, and subtropical climates, which allows for their year-round breeding activity.
Environmental Factors
Their success is closely tied to human-modified environments that provide a reliable supply of food (spilled grain, bird feeders) and water, as well as suitable nesting structures.
Habitat & Distribution
Where Spotted Dove lives and thrives
Hiding Spots
- Nests are often placed in dense shrubs, leafy trees, or on man-made structures like building ledges, pergolas, and inside open sheds.
- They roost in trees at night.
Microhabitat
Forages on the ground but nests and roosts off the ground.
Nesting Behavior
They build a notoriously flimsy and untidy nest. The male brings nesting material to the female, who constructs the simple platform. They will readily reuse old nests or build on top of them.
Preferred Habitats
- Urban and suburban gardens, parks, and city squares.
- Agricultural lands, especially around grain storage, feedlots, and poultry farms.
- Lightly wooded areas, farmland, and coastal scrub.
- They are highly adapted to human-modified landscapes and are less common in dense, pristine forests.
Humidity Preference
No specific preference.
Habitat Modification
Does not modify its habitat, but their nests and droppings can be untidy.
Nesting Requirements
Requires a stable, sheltered platform, either natural (a tree fork) or artificial (a building ledge), with access to foraging grounds.
Temperature Preference
Prefers temperate to tropical climates.
Distribution Patterns
States
Widespread along the east coast of Australia, from North Queensland down through New South Wales and Victoria, and into south-eastern South Australia. Also established around major centres in WA, such as Perth.
Native Range
Native to southern Asia, from Pakistan and India through to southern China and Southeast Asia.
Climate Zones
- Tropical
- Subtropical
- Temperate
- Mediterranean
Urban Vs Rural
Extremely successful in urban and suburban areas. Also common in agricultural landscapes, but less so in extensive, undisturbed bushland.
Current Spread
The eastern Australian population continues to expand its range gradually, particularly southwards and westwards from the coast.
Introduced Range
Introduced to many parts of the world, including Australia, the US (California), Hawaii, and Mauritius.
Limiting Factors
Their distribution seems to be limited by arid conditions and possibly by very cold winters, preventing them from establishing in the dry interior or the coldest highland areas.
Spread Mechanism
Initial introductions were deliberate. Their current spread is a slow and steady natural expansion along coastal and agricultural corridors.
Introduction History
Introduced to Melbourne in the 1860s. Other separate introductions likely occurred in other cities like Sydney and Perth.
Behavior & Diet
Spotted Dove behavioral patterns and feeding habits
Parental Care
Both parents share all duties, including incubation, brooding, and feeding the young squabs with crop milk.
Mating Behavior
Courtship involves the male performing a display flight, where he flies steeply upwards, claps his wings, and then glides down in a spiral. On the ground, he will bow and coo to the female.
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups. They can form larger flocks, especially in autumn and winter, at good feeding sites.
Activity Pattern
Diurnal. They spend most of their day foraging on the ground.
Foraging Behavior
A ground-foraging specialist. It walks along the ground, pecking at seeds and grains. It is a common sight in suburban backyards, parks, and around farms and feedlots.
Defensive Behavior
Their primary defense is to fly away when threatened. When flushed, their wings make a loud 'whirring' sound. They may perform a distraction display, feigning a broken wing, to lure a predator away from their nest or young.
Dispersal Behavior
They are largely sedentary, but young birds will disperse to establish their own territories. Their spread across Australia has been a gradual, step-by-step colonization of suitable habitats.
Territorial Behavior
Breeding pairs are territorial and will defend the area around their nest from other doves. The male's cooing call is used to advertise his territory.
Communication Methods
Their call is a soft, gentle, and repetitive 'coo-coo-croo' or 'coo-coo krrrooo', with the last note often being slightly drawn out. It is a very common sound in urban and suburban areas.
Dietary Preferences
Feeding Habits
Almost exclusively a granivore (seed and grain eater).
Foraging Range
They are resident birds and will forage daily within a territory of a few square kilometres.
Feeding Schedule
Forages on the ground throughout the day, with peaks in the early morning and late afternoon.
Primary Food Sources
- Seeds of grasses and weeds.
- Spilled grain from agricultural operations, feedlots, and backyard bird feeders.
- They are a common sight wherever poultry is kept, feeding on spilled chicken feed.
- Occasionally eats some small fruits or invertebrates.
Seasonal Diet Changes
Diet changes based on the types of seeds and grains that are seasonally available.
Professional Services
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Spotted Dove
What is the difference between a Spotted Dove and a native Australian dove?
The easiest way to distinguish the introduced Spotted Dove from native Australian doves and pigeons is by its unique neck marking. The Spotted Dove has a large, black patch on the back and sides of its neck that is covered in fine white spots, creating a distinctive checkerboard or lacy pattern. No native Australian dove or pigeon possesses this feature. For example, the native Crested Pigeon is grey and easily identified by the tall, thin crest on its head. The small Peaceful Dove is grey and has fine black and white bars across its chest and neck. The Bar-shouldered Dove has a copper-coloured neck. If you see a medium-sized dove with the tell-tale checkered neck patch, you can be certain it is the introduced Spotted Dove.
Are Spotted Doves a pest? Should I get rid of them?
The Spotted Dove is considered a minor pest in Australia, but whether you need to 'get rid of them' depends entirely on the situation. In most suburban gardens, they are a harmless and often pleasant resident, and no action is required. However, they can become problematic in certain contexts. In agricultural areas, large flocks can consume and contaminate significant amounts of stored grain or animal feed. In urban settings, if they choose to nest or roost on your house, their accumulated droppings can be unsightly, unhygienic, and can damage surfaces. Their flimsy nests can also block gutters. If they are not causing any specific damage or hygiene issue on your property, it is best to leave them be. If they are causing a problem, control should focus on humane deterrents and exclusion, not lethal methods.
How can I stop Spotted Doves from nesting on my house?
The most effective way to stop Spotted Doves from nesting on your house is to make their preferred nesting spots inaccessible or uncomfortable for them. This is a strategy known as 'proofing' or 'exclusion'. Start by identifying the flat, sheltered ledges they favour, such as window sills, beams under eaves, pergolas, or air conditioning units. You can then install physical barriers. Commercially available bird spikes are highly effective on ledges, as they prevent the birds from being able to land. For larger areas like balconies or courtyards, bird netting can be installed to deny access completely. Another option is to modify the ledge itself by installing an angled piece of metal or plastic (a 'bird slope') at an angle of 45 degrees or more, which makes it impossible for them to gain a foothold. Regularly removing any half-built nests will also discourage them, as they will eventually give up and find an easier location.
Is it okay to feed Spotted Doves in my backyard?
While feeding birds in the backyard is a popular pastime, it is generally discouraged by wildlife experts and conservation groups. While Spotted Doves will readily eat birdseed, providing a concentrated, artificial food source can cause several problems. It can lead to an unnaturally high local population of doves, increasing competition for native species. It can also cause the birds to become dependent on handouts. Most importantly, bird feeders can become hotspots for disease transmission. If a single sick bird visits your feeder, it can contaminate the food and the feeder itself, spreading diseases like psittacosis to all the other birds that visit, including native parrots and pigeons. If you choose to feed them, it is your responsibility to maintain strict hygiene by cleaning the feeder at least weekly with a proper disinfectant.
Where does the Spotted Dove in Australia come from?
The Spotted Dove is an introduced species, not native to Australia. Its natural range is across southern Asia, including countries like India, Sri Lanka, southern China, and Southeast Asia. Like many other introduced birds in Australia, it was deliberately brought here and released during the 19th century. Acclimatisation Societies, particularly active in the 1860s in cities like Melbourne, imported and released many species of familiar birds from other parts of the world to make the Australian environment feel more familiar to European and Asian settlers. The Spotted Dove proved to be highly adaptable and successfully established a breeding population. From these initial release points, it has steadily expanded its range over the last 150 years to become a very common bird in urban and agricultural areas along the east coast and in the southwest.
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Image Gallery
Visual identification guide for Spotted Dove
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