Columba guinea
The Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea) is a striking and highly adaptable member of the pigeon family (Columbidae), immediately recognizable by its distinctive white-tipped chestnut or maroon wing coverts and scapulars that create a 'speckled' effect, giving it its common name. Measuring 28-36 cm in length with a robust body, a wingspan of 50-58 cm, and weighing 250-300g, its plumage is primarily slate grey. Key field marks include a vibrant, bare red-purple orbital ring around the eye, an irid...
This highly adaptable pigeon primarily inhabits open country, savannas, semi-arid regions, rocky cliffs, and increasingly, urban and suburban environments, typically found from sea level up to 3000 meters.
Primarily granivorous, the Speckled Pigeon feeds mainly on seeds, grains, and agricultural produce gleaned from the ground, occasionally supplementing its diet with small insects and snails.
The Speckled Pigeon is a diurnal species, spending its days foraging and interacting, often forming large, cohesive flocks outside the breeding season that can number in the hundreds, especially when feeding or congregating at communal roosts. These roosts are typically located on cliff faces, la...
The Speckled Pigeon boasts a wide and stable distribution across much of sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, where it is a year-round resident. Its primary breeding range extends from Senegal and Mauritania in the west, eastward through the Sahel and Horn of Africa, including countries ...
Least Concern
- The 'speckled' in its name refers to the distinctive white spots created by the white-tipped feathers on its wing coverts and scapulars, not to geographical speckled patterns. - It is one of the most successful urban-dwelling pigeons in Africa, adapting remarkably well to human-modified landsca...