Streptopelia senegalensis - Laughing Dove
Feather characters. Barbules are from short until medium length (1.4-2.1 mm). Barbules contain very lightly stippled pigment. Quadrilobed nodes are located on proximal end of the barbules, abruptly decreasing in size towards distal end (18-22 per mm). On distal end these nodal structures are too small to qualify as nodes and may be hard to discern. Villi are absent and internodes are straight. Minute prongs are present on distal end of barbules and on both sides of the pennulum.
Field characters. Size 26 cm. Weight 101 g (72-139) (Dunning, 1993). Smaller than Turtle Dove. Head, chest and upper belly deep pink, gorget on upper breast rufous with black speckles, back brown, wings blue-grey with dark flight feathers, tail dark with white sides. Flight fast but fluttering, with very dark, almost black underwing. Song can go on for hours, usually from conspicuous song post.
Voice. Song a low, monotonous 'hoo hoo hoo'.
Distribution. Scarce resident. In region covered only in West Turkey, where introduced. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Towns and villages with dense bushes.
Food. Mainly seeds, some invertebrates.