Laughing Dove

1. Blue-grey shoulder patch contrasting with pinkish-brown plumage.

2. Black-spotted rufous-brown band across the lower throat resembling a delicate necklace.

3. Wedge-shaped tail with broad white tips visible during flight.

Laughing Doves mainly feed on grains, seeds from roadside weeds and garden plants, and occasionally bread scraps. They are most active during early morning and late afternoon, resting during the heat of the day. Breeding occurs year-round with peaks in spring and autumn. Their nests are simple platforms of twigs placed in trees or on buildings. Both parents share incubation duties for their two white eggs. These birds are generally sedentary, maintaining territories throughout the year.

In Australia, Laughing Doves are primarily found in urban environments around Perth and nearby towns in southwest Western Australia. They favour parks, gardens, streets, railway lines, and grain-handling facilities but rarely venture into bushland. Often seen perched on power lines or fences, they forage on the ground for seeds and scraps in suburban areas.

Native to sub-Saharan Africa, Laughing Doves were introduced to Western Australia from South Perth Zoological Gardens around 1898. Initially confined to Perth, their range expanded significantly during the 193s and 194s alongside the development of bulk grain-handling facilities.