Photo: Imran Shah from Islamabad, Pakistan / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Oriental Turtle Dove
Streptopelia orientalis
Oriental Turtle Dove (Streptopelia orientalis) — Pigeons & Doves of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Oriental Turtle Dove (Streptopelia orientalis) is a member of the Columbidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 233 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 Streptopelia
- Species orientalis
Where it lives
Central, eastern Asia through India and southeastern Asia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 233 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Oriental Turtle Dove is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open woodland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Oriental Turtle Dove is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Oriental Turtle Dove (Streptopelia orientalis) is a member of the Columbidae family, within the order Columbiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR c, e Asia through India and se Asia.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 233 g, with a wing length of about 17.7 cm and a tail of around 12.7 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 16.9 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Oriental Turtle Dove?
The Oriental Turtle Dove is a large bird that weighs around 233 g.
Where does the Oriental Turtle Dove live?
The Oriental Turtle Dove is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR c, e Asia through India and se Asia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Oriental Turtle Dove belong to?
The Oriental Turtle Dove (Streptopelia orientalis) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the Oriental Turtle Dove eat?
The Oriental Turtle Dove is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Oriental Turtle Dove migrate?
The Oriental Turtle Dove is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Oriental Turtle 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 Oriental Turtle Dove make?
1 real field recording of the Oriental Turtle 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 Oriental Turtle Dove's range?
The Oriental Turtle Dove has a mapped global range of about 16.9 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.