Photo: Alan Manson / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Tambourine Dove
Turtur tympanistria
Tambourine Dove (Turtur tympanistria) — Pigeons & Doves of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Tambourine Dove (Turtur tympanistria) is a member of the Columbidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 70.6 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 Turtur
- Species tympanistria
Quick facts
- Weight
- 70.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Tambourine Dove is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Tambourine Dove is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Tambourine Dove (Turtur tympanistria) belongs to the Columbidae family of the order Columbiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Guinea to Ethiopia, s to Angola, Zambia and South Africa, and Comoros.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 70.6 g, with a wing length of about 11.3 cm and a tail of around 8.4 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 8.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Tambourine Dove?
The Tambourine Dove is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 70.6 g.
Where does the Tambourine Dove live?
The Tambourine Dove is found across Africa with a range covering AF Guinea to Ethiopia, s to Angola, Zambia and South Africa, and Comoros, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Tambourine Dove belong to?
The Tambourine Dove (Turtur tympanistria) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the Tambourine Dove eat?
The Tambourine Dove is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Tambourine Dove migrate?
The Tambourine Dove is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Tambourine 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 Tambourine Dove make?
1 real field recording of the Tambourine 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 Tambourine Dove's range?
The Tambourine Dove has a mapped global range of about 8.1 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.