Details
SPOTTED DOVE (Spilopelia chinensis) – So-called because of its attractive black and white spotted half-collar, the Spotted Dove is one of the most widespread exotic birds established in Fiji. A native of southeast Asia, the Spotted Dove was first recorded as being established in Fiji in 1923 where, with the exception of Kadavu, it is found on all the larger islands and their off-shore islets, and some islands of Lomaiviti, Mamanuca and Yasawa. It is usually encountered in villages, suburban gardens, and agricultural land, it sometimes ventures into grass clearings in forested areas, and surprisingly is often found in and around mangroves. The Spotted Dove is a grain eater and it can become a serious pest of certain grain crops such as sorghum.
Fact Card
COMMON NAME: SPOTTED DOVE
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Spilopelia chinensis
TYPE: Introduced
RECORDED SIGHTINGS: Viti Levu – Vanua Levu – Taveuni – Lau
GROUP NAME: KINGDOM – Animalia / PHYLUM – Chordata / CLASS – Aves
ORDER – Columbiformes / FAMILY – Columbidae / GENUS – Spilopelia
Video: Spotted Dove
Audio: Spotted Dove
IUCN Red List Status
Additional Photographs
Fijian Commemorative Postage Stamp
References
- IUCN (2016, October 1). Spotted Dove. IUCN Redlist. Retrieved September 9, 2023, from https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/60482887/95160992
- [S Rama Chandran]. (2020, December 20). Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis [Audio]. Macaulay Library. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/292952071
- [Yoel Jimenez]. (2022, February 26). Spotted Dove [Video]. Macaulay Library. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/201093601
Additional Sources of Information
- NatureFiji-MareqetiViti is Fiji’s only domestic NGO working solely for the conservation and sustainable management of Fiji’s unique natural heritage – https://naturefiji.org/
