Tambourine dove

Turtur tympanistria

(Photo from Tokin Birds)

Common name:
tambourine dove (en); rola-de-papo-branco (pt); tourtelette tambourette (fr); palomita tamborilera (es); tamburintäubchen (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Columbiformes
Family Columbidae

Range:
This species is found in sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Ethiopia, south to Angola, Zambia and Tanzania, and through Mozambique down to eastern and southern South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 22-23 cm long and weigh 50-85 g.

Habitat:
The tambourine dove is found in moist tropical forests, especially in riverine woodlands, but also in coastal forests, scrublands, rural gardens and plantations. This species is found from sea level up to an altitude of 3.200 m.

Diet:
They eat a variety of fruits, seeds and invertebrates, namely grass seeds, the seeds of trees such as Albizia, Celtis, Croton and Ricinus, the fruits of Solanum, Syzygium and Trema, termites and small molucs.

Breeding:
Tambourine doves breed in September-May. Both sexes build the nest, a fragile saucer made of twigs, leaves and petioles. It is typically placed among the tangled branches of a creeper, in a scrub or tree, often in vegetation next to rivers. The female lays 1-2 eggs, which she mostly incubates alone for 17-20 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 19-22 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be widespread. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.