Laughing dove

The laughing dove is a small pigeon that is a resident breeder in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Western Australia where it has established itself in the wild after being released from Perth Zoo in 1898. This small long-tailed dove is found in dry scrub and semi-desert habitats where pairs can often be seen feeding on the ground. It is closely related to the spotted dove which is distinguished by a white and black chequered necklace. Other names include laughing turtle dove, palm dove and Senegal dove while in Asia the name little brown dove is often used.

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Distribution

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, and South Asia

Typical Environment

Laughing doves occupy dry scrublands, semi-deserts, savannas, cultivated fields, and urban gardens. They readily use human-altered landscapes, feeding along roadsides, in courtyards, and around grain stores. The species is widespread across Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian subcontinent. Introduced populations occur in Western Australia, especially around Perth and surrounding semi-arid zones.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 2500 m

Climate Zone

Arid

Characteristics

Size25–27 cm

Wing Span40–45 cm

Male Weight0.1 kg

Female Weight0.09 kg

Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 4/5

Useful to know

The laughing dove gets its name from its soft, bubbling coos that sound like gentle laughter. It thrives in dry scrub, gardens, and farmlands and is often seen in pairs quietly feeding on the ground. Introduced populations have established in Western Australia after birds were released from Perth Zoo in 1898.

Gallery

Nest on an olive tree with a typical clutch of two eggs, Djerba island

Behaviour

Temperament

generally calm and tolerant, often wary at close range

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with swift, direct flight

Social Behavior

Usually seen in pairs or small family groups; larger loose flocks form at water or abundant food. Monogamous pairs build a flimsy stick platform in shrubs, small trees, or building ledges. Both parents incubate and feed the young with crop milk.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

A soft, rolling series of coos that rise and fall, often described as a gentle, laughing chatter. Males call from perches during courtship and territory display. Calls carry modestly in open scrub and urban gardens.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Laughing gull

The laughing gull is a medium-sized gull of North and South America. Named for its laugh-like call, it is an opportunistic omnivore and scavenger. It breeds in large colonies mostly along the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. The two subspecies are L. a. megalopterus — which can be seen from southeast Canada down to Central America — and L. a. atricilla, which appears from the West Indies to the Venezuelan islands. The laughing gull was long placed in the genus Larus until its present placement in Leucophaeus.

Laughing kookaburra

The laughing kookaburra is a bird in the kingfisher subfamily Halcyoninae. It is a large robust kingfisher with a whitish head and a brown eye-stripe. The upperparts are mostly dark brown but there is a mottled light-blue patch on the wing coverts. The underparts are cream-white and the tail is barred with rufous and black. The plumage of the male and female birds is similar. The territorial call is a distinctive laugh that is often delivered by several birds at the same time, and is widely used as a stock sound effect in situations that involve a jungle setting.

Laughing owl

The laughing owl, also known as whēkau, the laughing jackass, or the white-faced owl, is an extinct species of owl that was endemic to New Zealand. Plentiful when European settlers arrived in New Zealand, its scientific description was published in 1845, but it was largely or completely extinct by 1914. The species was traditionally considered to belong to the monotypic genus Sceloglaux Kaup, 1848, although recent genetic studies indicate that it belongs with the boobook owls in the genus Ninox.