© Molly / stock.adobe.com
The Laughing Dove is typically recognised by its black neck ring.
The wild form of the Laughing Dove has evolved over many decades into a domesticated version, making it possible to keep the Laughing Dove as a pet. Discover here the characteristics typical to the North African Laughing Dove and how to create a splendid home for your dove.
The plumage of the North African Laughing Dove, which belongs to the genus of turtle doves, is predominantly light brown or cream. The primary feathers are a bit darker, while the underside of the wings is lighter in colour.
A characteristic of this species is a narrow, black half-collar. The birds’ eyes are dark red, their feet are red, and their beak is black.
The subspecies S. roseogrisea arabica is a shade darker than its relatives and has grey underwing. In addition, there are other colourations of the Laughing Dove that have arisen through mutations. These include the albino, which has white plumage and red eyes.
This type of dove attains a size of about 29 to 31 centimetres and weighs between 120 and 200 grams.
© Tom / stock.adobe.com
The Laughing Dove, like many other pigeon species, is very sociable and likes to gather in flocks. Popular gathering spots include watering holes and roosting sites.
To navigate in nature, the Laughing Dove possesses two especially good senses: vision and hearing. This makes it the superhero among pigeons, as it can not only perceive wavelengths of about 6439 metres but also see ultraviolet light.
The social Laughing Dove is very communicative. To converse, the birds emit a characteristic call: firstly, the dove coos like its relatives, followed by a long, descending “rrrrrrrrroooo” or “corrrrrrooo.”
Unlike other pigeons such as homing pigeons, domesticated Laughing Doves are not suitable for free flight, as the risk of getting lost or falling prey to a predator is particularly high for this species.
Do you want to keep Laughing Doves at home? Then it’s ideal if the birds can stay both outdoors and indoors, allowing them to bask in sunlight and seek shelter and warmth in the rain.
Note for outdoor keeping: For safety, the outdoor area must be built so no other animals, especially no birds, can get into the Laughing Dove’s accommodations, as bird droppings pose a sensitive infection risk to your doves.
For one dove, you’ll need a minimum size of 70 x 40 x 50 centimetres (L x W x H). For a pair, the dimensions should be at least 90 x 50 x 50 centimetres.
Your Laughing Doves need enough space to fully spread their wings, and their tails should be free when sitting and not touch the cage bars.
If you’re keeping your doves indoors, they must get enough fresh air and light but be careful to protect them from draughts.
To ensure this, you can use a box cage that is closed on three sides inside the house. Unlike a wire cage, this type of cage does not let in draughts.
While many racing or ornamental pigeons can be kept for breeding in a loft with multiple pairs, this is not possible with Laughing Doves due to their pronounced territorial behaviour.
Therefore, keep adult Laughing Doves alone or, preferably, as a pair. Keeping other pigeon species in the same loft, especially during breeding season, is not recommended.
Note: Young and still sexually immature Laughing Doves are not territorial and can share an aviary.
Seeds are at the top of the menu for Laughing Doves. Additionally, you can serve them ready-made seed mixes.
Make sure your birds have consumed all components of the food before adding more to ensure they are getting all nutrients. During the breeding season, you can supplement their diet with high-protein food.
As doves lack teeth, they rely on other mechanisms to break down their food. This function is filled by grit, which must be available to the birds along with food.
For this purpose, you can use commercial bird grit, as pigeon grit is generally too coarse for Laughing Doves. You can also provide a special mineral powder for pigeons in the same dish.
When the breeding season for Laughing Doves begins depends on the birds’ native country and food availability. For example, in Senegal, the doves breed every month, while in Chad, breeding is limited to September and October.
To signal readiness for mating, the male bows and raises his head feathers. After a successful mating, Laughing Doves build their nests, usually in trees or bushes near the ground.
Both genders of the Laughing Dove incubate two white eggs per clutch. The young hatch after about two weeks and quickly become fledged.
The lifespan of a Laughing Dove depends on its keeping and nutrition. While some individuals of the species live for about nine years, others can reach an age of up to 20 years.
One hereditary disease known in Laughing Doves is associated with the type of plumage. For example, “Silky Down” where dove feathers are not closed is considered selective breeding resulting in poor flight capability.
The Laughing Dove is now a domesticated species, but it originates from North Africa. Its range extends from the southern coastal regions of Saudi Arabia to Senegal and Mauritania.
Laughing Doves in the wild prefer dense forests with acacia trees. Since the birds love to bathe, they are often found near water sources. They are also commonly seen near humans, for instance, in agricultural areas or parks.
Wild catches of Laughing Doves are rare; domesticated breeds are more commonly offered in pet trade.
You can purchase these birds from specialised breeders. Alternatively, check with your local animal shelter to see if it has any Laughing Doves available for adoption.
Expect to pay around ten to 40 euros per bird. Additionally, there will be ongoing costs for food, vaccinations, etc.
| Name: | North African Laughing Dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea risoria), domesticated form “S. roseogrisea forma domestica” |
| Size: | 29-31 cm |
| Weight: | 120-200 g |
| Lifespan: | up to 20 years |
| Keeping: | possible outdoors and indoors |
| Socialising: | not recommended |
| Cage: | min. 70 x 40 x 50 cm (one dove), min. 90 x 50 x 50 cm (pair) |
| Food: | Seeds, young birds: crop milk |
| Difficulty: | easy to medium |
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At the Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen I was extensively trained as a veterinarian and was able to gain experience in various fields such as small animal, large animal and exotic animal medicine as well as pharmacology, pathology and food hygiene. Since then, I have been working not only as a veterinary author, but also on my scientifically driven dissertation. My goal is to better protect animals from pathogenic bacterial organisms in the future. Besides my veterinary knowledge, I also share my own experiences as a happy dog owner and can thus understand and enlighten fears and problems as well as other important questions about animal health.
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