The Peaceful Dove has a pink-grey breast with chequered grey-brown wings. Thin striations of black appear around the neck and nape area and descend down the back. The eye is greyish-white and a blue-grey ring surrounds the eye that tapers off and joins the beak/cere. The juveniles are paler and less striated. They also have a duller eye ring. The nape is similar to that of the Bar-shouldered dove in that the nape feathers are striated but differs in that the Bar-shouldered dove does not have striated throat feathers like the Peaceful Dove. Furthermore, the nape feathers are grey-brown in colour compared to the vivid copper colour seen with Bar-shouldered doves. Calls of the Peaceful Dove are high-pitched "doodle-doo", "co-co-coo" and "croorrr!". The peaceful dove is also sometimes called the zebra dove, barred dove, or the turtle dove. Many internet sites in Australia refer to this species as Geopelia striata as there is still some debate about the separation of G. striata into three separate species. Brown reports that recent taxonomic work has shown that the peaceful dove should be a separate species because of its plumage (barring around the front of the throat vs. barring only on the sides of the throat, the size of the bird, and the birds' call. While the barring is distinctive, the length and weight data provided by Gibbs does not show a significant difference between the peaceful dove and the zebra dove. Peaceful doves are about the same size as the zebra dove. The barred dove is somewhat larger than either the zebra dove or the peaceful dove. The peaceful dove does have barring completely across the neck and upper chest while the zebras dove's barring is restricted to the sides of the throat and chest.
Not Threatened.
The Peaceful Dove has a pink-grey breast with chequered grey-brown wings. Thin striations of black appear around the neck and nape area and descend down the back. The eye is greyish-white and a blue-grey ring surrounds the eye that tapers off and joins the beak/cere. The juveniles are paler and less striated. They also have a duller eye ring. The nape is similar to that of the Bar-shouldered dove in that the nape feathers are striated but differs in that the Bar-shouldered dove does not have striated throat feathers like the Peaceful Dove. Furthermore, the nape feathers are grey-brown in colour compared to the vivid copper colour seen with Bar-shouldered doves. Calls of the Peaceful Dove are high-pitched "doodle-doo", "co-co-coo" and "croorrr!". The peaceful dove is also sometimes called the zebra dove, barred dove, or the turtle dove. Many internet sites in Australia refer to this species as Geopelia striata as there is still some debate about the separation of G. striata into three separate species. Brown reports that recent taxonomic work has shown that the peaceful dove should be a separate species because of its plumage (barring around the front of the throat vs. barring only on the sides of the throat, the size of the bird, and the birds' call. While the barring is distinctive, the length and weight data provided by Gibbs does not show a significant difference between the peaceful dove and the zebra dove. Peaceful doves are about the same size as the zebra dove. The barred dove is somewhat larger than either the zebra dove or the peaceful dove. The peaceful dove does have barring completely across the neck and upper chest while the zebras dove's barring is restricted to the sides of the throat and chest.
The bird is a relatively small pigeon and varies in length from 19 to 21 centimetres.
Taxonomy:
- Geopelia placida Gould, 1844, Port Essington, Northern Territory. Despite superficial resemblances to Streptopelia, genus probably most closely related to bronzewing group (Phaps and allies), based on behaviour. Present species forms a superspecies with G. striata and G. maugei, and all three have sometimes been considered conspecific. Three subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * papua Rand, 1938 - S New Guinea from Merauke E to Port Moresby; also Markham Valley and Madang and upper Ramu Valley. * placida Gould, 1844 - N & E Australia. * clelandi Mathews, 1912 - Pilbara region, NC Western Australia.
Peaceful doves are usually found in dry, open grasslands with some scrub vegetation which is used for cover. They are also found in Eucalyptus forests and in other dry, wooded areas. But like most Geopelia doves they prefer to have a source of water nearby. These doves can also be seen in villages and towns and in gardens and parks, and also in cultivated areas.
Feeds on small seeds of native grasses and weeds where the ground is bare in open spaces. The bird walks and runs about very quickly while feeding. Brown reports that insects are rarely eaten.
Brown reports that breeding can occur any time during the year however breeding may be less frequent during dry periods and also during cold weather. The peaceful dove starts up to eight clutches in a season. The nest is a typical pigeon like loose construction of twigs built in a shrub or tree from two feet to thirty six feet above the ground. Two white eggs are laid and are incubated by both of the parents for 13 to 14 days. The babies leave the nest in 16 to 17 days.