Red-eyed Dove
Crescent dove
The Crescent Dove ( Streptopelia semitorquata ), also called roaches dove is a species of pigeons birds that are expected to turtledoves. It is widespread in Africa.
Appearance
The Crescent dove reaches a body length of 30 centimeters. It is slightly larger than the turtle dove and the largest Turteltaubenart Africa. The head is blue-gray, the front head is slightly brightened. The jacket and the back are dark gray-brown. The primaries are dark. The outer wing-coverts are dark slate blue. The black neck band is framed by silver-gray seams. The breast and belly are reddish brown strong. The beak is black. The iris is dark orange.
Young birds have a duller overall color. You also lack the black neck ring, which can be seen only after the youth full moult.
Distribution and habitat
The Crescent dove occurs in three subspecies in Africa. The nominate form is widespread in eastern Africa from Sudan to Ethiopia to the north, the central region of Kenya, Uganda, Eastern DRC, Tanzania to the Transvaal and Natal. It also occurs in Yemen. The subspecies S. s minor inhabited the south of Somalia and the coastal region of Kenya. The subspecies S. s erythrophrys lives in West Africa and settled here the Senegal to Angola.
Their habitat is wooded areas. They mostly inhabited those environments which have larger surface water in the form of rivers or lakes. In less wooded habitats, it occurs also, but here is comparatively rare.
Behavior
Like all turtledoves finds the crescent dove their food mainly on the ground. She considers herself but more often than other turtle doves in the trees. It eats seeds, cereals, peanuts and berries.
Their nest they built usually in a tree or a bush. The clutch consists of two eggs.
Attitude in captivity
Crescent pigeons were first shown in 1844 at the zoo in Amsterdam. There are incompatible aviary birds that can be kept in pairs. Outside the breeding season, the males also show aggression towards the female. They are very robust birds and can be overwintered in an unheated shelter despite their African origin in Central Europe.