Streptopelia
Encyclopedia
Streptopelia is a genus of bird
s in the dove family. These are mainly slim, small to medium-sized species. The upperparts tend to be pale brown, and the underparts are often a shade of pink. Many have a characteristic black-and-white patch on the neck, and monotonous cooing songs.
The heartland of this genus is Africa
, but several species occur in tropical southern Asia
. As a group, this genus is highly successful; many species are abundant in a range of habitats in the tropics, and two now have a much more extensive distribution.
The Eurasian Collared Dove
, Streptopelia decaocto, naturally expanded out of its original range of the warmer temperate regions from south east Europe
to Japan
to colonise the rest of Europe, reaching as far west as Great Britain
by 1960, and Ireland
soon after. It has also been introduced into the USA and, as of 1999 it had been reported from 22 states and was still spreading rapidly.
The Spotted Dove
, S. chinensis (probably better placed in Spilopelia, see below), is an abundant and ubiquitous resident breeding bird in tropical southern Asia
, but it has been introduced to the U.S.
, Hawaii
, northern Indonesia
, Australia
and New Zealand
.
A DNA sequence
analysis (Johnson et al., 2001) has concluded that the genus consists of three distinct lineages. One contains the Laughing Dove
and the Spotted Dove
, which have long been recognized as having distinct morphology and behavior. The second group contains most of the other species, except the Madagascar Turtle Dove and the Pink Pigeon
, which appear to be the surviving species of an endemic Madagascar
/Mascarenes radiation and have at times been placed in other genera. The two-species lineages appear to be each other's closest relatives and cannot be firmly assigned to either Columba or Streptopelia (although overall they seem to be close to the latter). Thus, it might be best to split the two minor lineages off as distinct genera, namely Spilopelia for the first (which has priority
over Stigmatopelia) and Nesoenas
for the last.
Streptopelia main lineage
Possibly separable as Nesoenas
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s in the dove family. These are mainly slim, small to medium-sized species. The upperparts tend to be pale brown, and the underparts are often a shade of pink. Many have a characteristic black-and-white patch on the neck, and monotonous cooing songs.
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, but several species occur in tropical southern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. As a group, this genus is highly successful; many species are abundant in a range of habitats in the tropics, and two now have a much more extensive distribution.
The Eurasian Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
The Eurasian Collared Dove most often simply called the Collared Dove, also sometimes hyphenated as Eurasian Collared-dove is a species of dove native to Asia and Europe, and also recently introduced in North America....
, Streptopelia decaocto, naturally expanded out of its original range of the warmer temperate regions from south east Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to colonise the rest of Europe, reaching as far west as Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
by 1960, and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
soon after. It has also been introduced into the USA and, as of 1999 it had been reported from 22 states and was still spreading rapidly.
The Spotted Dove
Spotted Dove
The Spotted Dove , also known as the Spotted Turtle Dove, is a pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in the Indian Subcontinent including India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka east to southern Tibet and Southeast Asia...
, S. chinensis (probably better placed in Spilopelia, see below), is an abundant and ubiquitous resident breeding bird in tropical southern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, but it has been introduced to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, northern Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
A DNA sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
analysis (Johnson et al., 2001) has concluded that the genus consists of three distinct lineages. One contains the Laughing Dove
Laughing Dove
The Laughing Dove is a small pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in the tropics in Africa south of the Sahara, the Middle East and southern Asia east to India. In India it is also known as the Little Brown Dove...
and the Spotted Dove
Spotted Dove
The Spotted Dove , also known as the Spotted Turtle Dove, is a pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in the Indian Subcontinent including India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka east to southern Tibet and Southeast Asia...
, which have long been recognized as having distinct morphology and behavior. The second group contains most of the other species, except the Madagascar Turtle Dove and the Pink Pigeon
Pink Pigeon
The Pink Pigeon, Columba mayeri, is a species of Columbidae endemic to Mauritius, and is now very rare. It was on the brink of extinction in 1991 when only 10 individuals remained, but its numbers have increased due to the efforts of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust since 1977...
, which appear to be the surviving species of an endemic Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
/Mascarenes radiation and have at times been placed in other genera. The two-species lineages appear to be each other's closest relatives and cannot be firmly assigned to either Columba or Streptopelia (although overall they seem to be close to the latter). Thus, it might be best to split the two minor lineages off as distinct genera, namely Spilopelia for the first (which has priority
Principle of Priority
thumb|270px|Boa manditraIn zoology, the scientific study of animals, the Principle of Priority is one of the guiding principles of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, defined by Article 23....
over Stigmatopelia) and Nesoenas
Nesoenas
Nesoenas is a bird genus in the pigeon and dove family, Columbidae. It is often included with the typical turtle-doves in Streptopelia or the typical pigeons . By those wo accepted it, it was usually treated as monotypic, containing only the Pink Pigeon Nesoenas is a bird genus in the pigeon and...
for the last.
Species
Possibly separable as Spilopelia- Laughing DoveLaughing DoveThe Laughing Dove is a small pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in the tropics in Africa south of the Sahara, the Middle East and southern Asia east to India. In India it is also known as the Little Brown Dove...
Streptopelia senegalensis (sometimes separated as Stigmatopelia) - Spotted DoveSpotted DoveThe Spotted Dove , also known as the Spotted Turtle Dove, is a pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in the Indian Subcontinent including India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka east to southern Tibet and Southeast Asia...
Streptopelia chinensis
Streptopelia main lineage
- Eurasian Collared DoveEurasian Collared DoveThe Eurasian Collared Dove most often simply called the Collared Dove, also sometimes hyphenated as Eurasian Collared-dove is a species of dove native to Asia and Europe, and also recently introduced in North America....
or simply Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto - Barbary DoveBarbary DoveThe Ringneck Dove, Ring Dove, or Barbary Dove, Streptopelia risoria, is a domestic member of the dove family .Although the Ringneck Dove is normally assigned its own systematic name, as Streptopelia risoria, considerable doubt exists as to its appropriate classification...
Streptopelia risoria (domesticated; taxonomic status doubtful) - African Collared DoveAfrican Collared DoveThe African Collared Dove is a small dove found in Africa in the arid region south of the Sahara. Its range extends in a band right across the continent, and into southern Arabia. Although it lives in arid lands, it is found around water sources.This bird is typically around 26 cm in length...
, Streptopelia roseogrisea - Turtle DoveTurtle DoveThe European Turtle Dove , also known as Turtle Dove, is a member of the bird family Columbidae, which includes the doves and pigeons.-Distribution & Status:...
Streptopelia turtur - Oriental Turtle DoveOriental Turtle DoveThe Oriental Turtle Dove or Rufous Turtle Dove is a member of the bird family Columbidae, doves and pigeons.-Names:Both the names Oriental Turtle Dove or Rufous Turtle Dove have been used for this species...
Streptopelia orientalis - Dusky Turtle Dove, Streptopelia lugens
- Adamawa Turtle Dove, Streptopelia hypopyrrha
- Island Collared Dove, Streptopelia bitorquata
- White-winged Collared Dove, Streptopelia reichenowi
- Mourning Collared Dove, Streptopelia decipiens
- Red-eyed DoveRed-eyed DoveThe Red-eyed Dove is a pigeon which is a widespread resident breeding bird in Africa south of the Sahara. It is a common, if not abundant, species in most habitats other than desert....
, Streptopelia semitorquata - Ring-necked DoveRing-necked DoveThe Ring-necked Dove , also known as the Cape Turtle Dove and the Half-Collared Dove, is a widespread and abundant bird in the bush, savannah, farmlands, and woodlands of southern and eastern Africa. Their name comes from a black patch of feathers on the back of their necks...
, Streptopelia capicola - Vinaceous DoveVinaceous DoveThe Vinaceous Dove is a pigeon which is a widespread resident breeding bird in a belt across Africa just south of the Sahara Desert....
, Streptopelia vinacea - Red Turtle DoveRed Turtle DoveThe Red Turtle Dove , also known as the Red Collared Dove, is a small pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in the tropics in the Indian subcontinent.-Habitat, distribution and status:...
, Streptopelia tranquebarica
Possibly separable as Nesoenas
Nesoenas
Nesoenas is a bird genus in the pigeon and dove family, Columbidae. It is often included with the typical turtle-doves in Streptopelia or the typical pigeons . By those wo accepted it, it was usually treated as monotypic, containing only the Pink Pigeon Nesoenas is a bird genus in the pigeon and...
- Madagascar Turtle Dove, Streptopelia picturata
- Rodrigues Turtle Dove, Streptopelia (picturata) rodericana - extinct (before 1690?)
- Pink PigeonPink PigeonThe Pink Pigeon, Columba mayeri, is a species of Columbidae endemic to Mauritius, and is now very rare. It was on the brink of extinction in 1991 when only 10 individuals remained, but its numbers have increased due to the efforts of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust since 1977...
, Streptopelia mayeri - Réunion Pink PigeonRéunion Pink PigeonThe Réunion Pink Pigeon is an extinct species of pigeon that formerly lived on the Mascarene island of Réunion. It is known from the description of a rusty-red pigeon given by Dubois in 1674 and a single subfossil humerus that agrees with that of the Pink Pigeon of Mauritius in generic...
, Streptopelia duboisi - extinct (c.1700)