Nature Page

By Marj Webber

Spotted Turtle-Doves or Spotted Doves are introduced birds that are very common on Bribie Island. They are quite large for a dove being 30-32 cm in length and weighing 110-205 g. Their most noticeable feature is the black and white spotted patch on the backs of their necks. Heads are pale grey, breasts are pinkish, underparts are white, feet and legs are pink, and wings and backs are brown. Both males and females are similar in appearance. When flying from the ground their wings make a fluttering, whistling sound. In the wild, their life expectancy is about 7.5 years. Spotted Doves have become common around suburban areas of Eastern Australia from North Queensland to Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the SW corner of Western Australia. They were first introduced from India and SE Asia to Melbourne as domestic caged birds, with many more releases to other cities in Australia through the 1920s. They continue to greatly expand. In Alice Springs in the early 1990s 10 caged birds were set loose. These quickly multiplied to pest proportions, and this is a similar story for other areas where they have been introduced. Most birds are sedentary while others will venture only short distances. They are not often found far from man-made habitats. Food such as seeds, grains, human food scraps and small fallen fruits are their chosen menu. Usually, they feed alone or in small groups on the ground but sometimes pick seeds from small shrubs. They often forage for food around chicken coops, aviaries and animal enclosures picking up food that has been dropped on the ground. Their most prolific breeding months are Sept-Jan but will breed at any time of the year. The attached photo is of a Turtle-Dove that built its nest on a ledge under my veranda in the middle of winter. Males perform courting displays by walking in front of females with their black and white patch feathers puffed out while nodding their heads. They also perform aerial displays to impress the females. Nests built by both parents are untidy, skimpy platforms of small sticks built in thick bushes or on man-made ledges. Two white eggs are laid into these flimsy structures, and quite often fall out and smash on the ground. So, if you find a smallish, white eggshell on the ground in your backyard it could well be from a Spotted Dove’s nest. Both parents incubate the eggs for about 13 days and feed the babies for another 14 days till they can leave the nest. Several clutches are usually raised in a year. They are very common and increasing in areas where they are found and are spreading into country towns.