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SPECKLED PIGEON
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Columba guinea
HABITAT: Savanna, open woodland, and gardens of sub-saharan Africa.
CONSERVATION STATUS: Least Concern
FUN FACT: Some speckled pigeons roost on offshore islands, and make flights of 5-6 miles to feed on the mainland each day.
DIET: Mostly seeds and cultivated grains. They occasionally eat snails.
DESCRIPTION: The speckled pigeon is a medium-sized bird with a small head, short beak, and short legs. Adults are 16 inches long. The head and underparts are bluish gray, and red or purple skin forms a ring around each eye. There is a chestnut collar around the neck. The back is dark reddish purple, and the tail is black with a pale gray bar. The wings are dark slate, and most of the wing feathers are tipped with white, so that the wing has a speckled appearance when closed. Males and females look alike.
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