Tambourine doves (Turtur tympanistria) are a pigeon that are widespread resident breeding birds in woodlands and other thick vegetation in Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. Beautiful tambourine doves have white on their forehead, area surrounding the eye, throat, breast and underparts. There is a black band from the gape to the eye and it’s underparts are dark brown with a slight olive coloring. The head and neck of Tambourine doves are suffused grey and there are two horizontal blackish bands across the lower back, separated by a paler band. Black spots on each wing appear iridescent purple or dark bluish green in certain lighting. The underwing and most inner webs of the primaries are chestnut, the central rectrices are dark purplish brown while the outer ones are blue-grey with grey tips separated by darkish grey. The undertail-coverts are a dark brown and the iris is brown to dark brown. Tambourine doves’ bill are a reddish-purple, tipped with dark brown and it’s legs and feet are purplish red. Females are grey in most of the males white areas, with white being restricted to her belly. Tambourine dove females have a whitish grey face and her bill varies from near black to reddish purple.
Geography: Africa, South of the Sahara Desert
Size / Weight: 8.5″ / Average 64.5 gm
Song / Call: Click to listen to the Tambourine Dove
Sexing: Visually able to tell genders.
Temperament: Tambourine doves forage mostly on the forest floor, usually beneath leafy cover, but Trema berries are plucked from trees. They are seen singly or in pairs, with rarely up to six together.
Breeding: Tambourine doves are monogamous and build a platform for their nest of thin sticks and rootlets. Nests are usually placed close to the trunk of a tree or bush or in a tangle of creepers. Adults share nest-building, with the male bringing materials for the female to arrange. Usually two creamy white eggs with incubation, mainly by female, of 17 to 20 days.
Diet: Dove & Quail Seed, Australian Blend Goldenfeast, Berries, Mealworms
