Photo: Lip Kee from Singapore, Republic of Singapore / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Namaqua Dove
Oena capensis
Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis) — Pigeons & Doves of Africa.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis) is a member of the Columbidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 40.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Columbiformes
- Family Columbidae Pigeons, Doves
- Genus Oena
- Species capensis
Where it lives
Widespread in Africa. Also Middle East from Cyprus to southwestern Iran
Quick facts
- Weight
- 40.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Namaqua Dove is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Namaqua Dove is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis) is a member of the Columbidae family, within the order Columbiformes. It is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers AF, PAL widespread in Africa. Also Middle East from Cyprus to sw Iran.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 40.6 g, with a wing length of about 10.3 cm and a tail of around 12.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 9.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Namaqua Dove?
The Namaqua Dove is a small bird that weighs around 40.6 g.
Where does the Namaqua Dove live?
The Namaqua Dove is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering AF, PAL widespread in Africa. Also Middle East from Cyprus to sw Iran, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Namaqua Dove belong to?
The Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the Namaqua Dove eat?
The Namaqua Dove is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Namaqua Dove migrate?
The Namaqua Dove is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Namaqua Dove endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Namaqua Dove make?
1 real field recording of the Namaqua Dove — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Namaqua Dove's range?
The Namaqua Dove has a mapped global range of about 9.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Columbidae
A field guide to the Columbidae family — 352 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.