Oriental Turtle Dove

This species is defined as a Review Species. Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page.

Scientific Name: Streptopelia orientalis
Malay Name: Tekukur Emas Asia
Chinese Name: 山斑鸠

Range:
Breeding Range: Siberia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indian subcontinent, Tibet, China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. In South-east Asia, resident in Myanmar, Thailand. Winter visitor to Myanmar, Thailand and Indochina.

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: meena, orientalis, stimpsoni, erythrocephala, agricola.

Size: 31-33cm

Identification:
Resemble Spotted Dove but larger, bulkier, and darker overall. Barred rather than spotted side of neck. Bluish-grey crown. Rufous fringes to lower mantle and wing coverts. Broader rufous fringes to scapulars. Bluish-slate rump and uppertail coverts.

Similar looking species: Spotted Dove

Habitat: Open forest, secondary growth, scrub and plantation.

Behaviour/Ecology:

Local Status: Very rare vagrant.

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Featured articles:

Past accepted records in our database:

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Oriental Turtle Dove at Tokyo, Japan. Photo credit: Keita Sin
External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Oriental Turtle-Dove)
References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Streptopelia orientalis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22690439A93273750.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.