{{short description|Species of bird}} {{Refimprove|date=February 2026}} {{speciesbox | name = Dusky turtle dove | image = Dusky Turtle Dove - Tanzania 2008-03-01 0094.jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 13 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=''Streptopelia lugens'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T22690432A93273485 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22690432A93273485.en |access-date=13 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Streptopelia | species = lugens | authority = (Rüppell, 1837) | synonyms = *''Turtur lugens'' *''Columba lugens'' *''Peristera lugens'' <ref>{{cite journal |last1=Shelley |first1=G. E. |date=1883 |title=On the ''Columbidæ'' of the Ethiopian Region |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16243063#page/308/ |journal=Ibis |volume=1 |series=5 |page=302 |access-date=22 February 2026}}</ref> }}
The '''dusky turtle dove''' or '''pink-breasted turtle dove''' ('''''Streptopelia lugens''''') is a species of bird in the family Columbidae.
==Description== The dusky turtle dove is a very dark or slaty gray dove, generally 28–30 centimeters long and 120–205 grams.
It has a gray face slightly paler than the body, conspicuous black patches on sides of the neck, and wing coverts and tertials with pale brown or rufous edges. Its eye is orange or orange-yellow with a purplish eye-ring. Its bill is purplish slate-gray. Its legs are red. Juvenile birds are paler and browner than adults.<ref>{{cite book |last=John |first=Jasson |display-authors=etal |date=2019 |title=Birds of Western Tanzania: Gombe, Mahale, Rubondo, Saanane, Malagarasi, Ntakata, Minzir |location=Incheon |publisher=National Institute of Biological Resources |page=176 |isbn=978-89-6811-396-3}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Boland |first1=Chris |last2=Alsuhaibany |first2=Abdullah |date=2020 |title=The Birds of Saudi Arabia |publisher=Saudi Aramco |page=36 |volume=2 |isbn=978-1-86063-503-8 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Shelley |first1=G. E. |date=1883 |title=On the ''Columbidæ'' of the Ethiopian Region |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16243063#page/308/ |journal=Ibis |volume=1 |series=5 |pages=302–303 |access-date=22 February 2026}}</ref>
==Distribution and habitat== The dusky turtle dove is found in East Africa and South Arabia: Eritrea, Somalia, southern Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yemen (disjunctive population), and southern Saudi Arabia (disjunctive population).
It inhabits the Afrotropical Highlands Biome: in montane forest, forest edge, and woodland garden, between 1,800 and 3,200 meters in elevation.<ref name="ALN2019">{{cite book |last1=Aerts |first1=R. |last2=Lerouge |first2=F. |last3=November |first3=E. |chapter=Birds of Forests and Open Woodlands in the Highlands of Dogu’a Tembien |editor-last1=Nyssen |editor-first1=J. |editor-last2=Jacob |editor-first2=M. |editor-last3=Frankl |editor-first3=A. |title=Geo-Trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains: The Dogu'a Tembien District |date=2019 |publisher=SpringerNature |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_17 |isbn=978-3-030-04954-6 |chapter-url=https://lirias.kuleuven.be/handle/123456789/639010}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Abdul Wahab |first1=Sura Abdul Munaff |date=2025 |title=Distribution and Species Diversity of the Dove Genus ''Streptopelia'': A Systematic Review |url=https://journalhb.org/index.php/jhb/article/view/21 |journal=Journal of Health and Biology |volume=1 |issue=2 |page=84 |doi=10.71428/JHB.2025.0203 |access-date=22 February 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bekele |first1=Samuel |last2=Tekalign |first2=Wondimagegnehu |date=2023 |title=Diversity and Relative Abundance of Avian Species in the Wetland Area Northwest of Lake Abaya, Southern Ethiopia |journal=Scientific World Journal |article-number=9964189 |pages=1–8 |doi=10.1155/2023/9964189 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bishobibiri Alexis |first1=Bashonga |last2=Sande |first2=Eric |last3=Kahindo |first3=Charles |last4=Ntakimazi |first4=Gaspard |date=2023 |title=Checklist of the Bird Species from the Ruzizi Delta, Northern End of Lake Tanganyika, in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo |url=http://biolifejournals.com/pdffiles/cimg152225_11.2.15%20basho6%20115-129.pdf |journal=Biolife |volume=11 |issue=2 |page=122 |access-date=22 February 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mequanint |first1=Ferehiwot |display-authors=etal |date=2024 |title=Larger and Older Church Forests Promote Bird Species Richness, Diversity and Resilience across Northwest Ethiopia's Deforested Landscapes |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235198942400369X |journal=Global Ecology and Conservation |volume=24 |article-number=e03165 |doi=10.1016/j.gecco.2024.e03165 |bibcode=2024GEcoC..5403165M |access-date=22 February 2026|hdl=1854/LU-01J716HJ7KJ790RNSC9ZNG7SAS |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Boland |first1=Chris |last2=Alsuhaibany |first2=Abdullah |date=2020 |title=The Birds of Saudi Arabia |publisher=Saudi Aramco |page=36 |volume=2 |isbn=978-1-86063-503-8 }}</ref>
==Ecology and behavior== The dusky turtle dove’s diet consists of seeds, insects, and mollusks, foraged from the ground. It is active during the day (diurnal) and is usually solitary or in a small group (up to 10).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Boland |first1=Chris |last2=Alsuhaibany |first2=Abdullah |date=2020 |title=The Birds of Saudi Arabia |publisher=Saudi Aramco |page=36 |volume=2 |isbn=978-1-86063-503-8 }}</ref>
The dusky turtle dove is socially monogamous. The female probably builds the nest, a loose platform of twigs lined with rootlets, usually in a tree, often a juniper, 2-3 meters above the ground. The clutch is usually 2 eggs. Both male and female incubate the eggs (20 days) and tend the nestlings (possibly 14–16 days).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Boland |first1=Chris |last2=Alsuhaibany |first2=Abdullah |date=2020 |title=The Birds of Saudi Arabia |publisher=Saudi Aramco |page=36 |volume=2 |isbn=978-1-86063-503-8 }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1030039}}
Category:Streptopelia Category:Birds of East Africa Category:Birds of the Middle East Category:Birds described in 1837 Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
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