The tambourine dove is a pigeon which is a widespread resident breeding bird in woodlands and other thick vegetation in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Its range extends from Senegal east to Ethiopia and Kenya and southwards through eastern Africa to south-eastern South Africa, but it is absent from the drier areas of south-western Africa. There is a population on the Comoros Islands.
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs widely in wooded habitats from West Africa east to Ethiopia and Kenya, and south through eastern Africa to southeastern South Africa; also present on the Comoros. Favors forests, dense thickets, riverine woodland, and well-vegetated gardens, avoiding the most arid zones of southwestern Africa. Frequently uses forest edges and clearings but remains close to cover. On islands such as the Comoros it occupies humid lowland forest and plantations.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Named for its rhythmic, hollow cooing that recalls the beat of a tambourine, this shy forest dove is often heard long before it’s seen. Males show striking iridescent shoulder patches that flash green or bronze in dappled light, while females are duller and more buff-toned. It spends much of its time foraging quietly on the forest floor under dense cover.
Temperament
shy and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, direct flights between cover
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs, occasionally small loose groups at food sources. Monogamous pairs nest in dense vegetation, building a flimsy platform of twigs. The clutch is typically one to two eggs, with both parents sharing incubation and chick care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A soft, rhythmic series of hollow coos that carry far in forest, often likened to a distant drumbeat or tambourine. Calls are repeated at steady intervals and can be ventriloquial, making the source hard to locate.
Plumage
Smooth, compact plumage with warm brown upperparts and clean, pale underparts; males show glossy iridescent patches on the wing coverts.
Diet
Primarily consumes small seeds and fallen fruits and berries, including figs. Also takes green matter and occasionally small invertebrates such as termites or ants. Picks grit to aid digestion. Forages quietly, picking items from the leaf litter.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on the shaded forest floor, along paths, and at forest edges, staying close to dense undergrowth for quick cover. Will visit clearings and well-vegetated gardens near woodland.
