Bar-shouldered Dove
Scientific Name: Geopelia humeralis
Size: 27 to 31 cm
What does it look like?
The Bar-shouldered Dove has a slender build, brown upperparts, with distinct black edging to each feather, russet nape, grey face and throat and pale underparts, should easily identify it. The common call is a triple “coo” or “kook-a-wook”.
Where is it found?
The Bar-shouldered Dove is a native to Australia.
What are its habitats & habits?
It inhabits the wetter forests and woodlands, and vegetation along creeks and rivers. It ranges across northern and eastern Australia, but has declined in numbers since the introduction of the Spotted Turtle-Dove. It is most often encountered singly or in small groups, usually feeding on seeding grasses and herbs, on the ground. When disturbed, it will normally fly swiftly to a nearby tree, the flight lacking the undulating pattern of other similarly sized doves. The Bar-shouldered Dove is fairly sedentary, staying in a particular area for most of year, although some birds have been recorded as ranging quite widely. It is never found far from water, as it needs to drink on a regular basis.
This species features in my book Australia’s Birdwatching Megaspots
