Least Concern Birds

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove eats seeds and insects in savannas and farmland edges.

Scientific name	Turtur chalcospilos
Swahili name	Kibuyu
Conservation status	Least Concern
Class	Aves
Order	Columbiformes
Family	Columbidae
Size	Male: approximately 120-140 grams; Female: approximately 110-130 grams

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How to identify

Plumage mainly grayish-brown, with distinct emerald green spots on the wings; chest with a pale pinkish hue; tail short and rounded; bare blue skin around the eyes; small body size, light wing beats in flight

Habitat

Open woodland savanna, open shrubland, edges of farmland, and secondary forests

Diet

Primarily seeds, also consumes small insects and berries, omnivorous

When it is active

Diurnal, active during the day, especially at dawn and dusk

Where it lives

Distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Masai Mara region

How to spot it

Search at dawn or dusk in open woodland savanna or shrub edges, paying attention to the green spots on the wings; use binoculars or telephoto lenses

Photography tips

Use natural lighting, preferably soft light in the morning or evening, capture details of the green spots on the wings, choose open or naturally vegetated backgrounds

Threats

Habitat loss due to destruction and agricultural expansion; local hunting in some areas

Similar species

Similar to other species in the genus Turtur, such as the Tambourine Dove (Turtur tympanistria), distinguished by more prominent green spots on the wings and lighter body coloration

📖 how to spot the emerald spotted wood dove on safari