Family Pigeons, Doves (Columbidae)
Least Concern
Peaceful Dove (Geopelia placida)
Taxonomy
French: Géopélie placide German: Friedenstäubchen Spanish: Tortolita plácida
Other common names:
Placid Dove
Taxonomy:
Geopelia placida
Gould
, 1844,Port Essington, Northern Territory, Australia
.
Subspecies and Distribution
G. p. papua
Rand, 1938 – S & E New Guinea (from Merauke E to Port Moresby; also Markham Valley and Madang and upper Ramu Valley).
G. p. placida
Gould, 1844 – N & E Australia.
G. p. clelandi
Mathews, 1912 – Pilbara region of NC Western Australia.
Descriptive notes
20–24 cm; 41–66 g. Similar to G. striata, but with proportionately longer, more pointed wings; overall paler; barring more extensive, extending across... read more
Voice
A repeated, falsetto, musical 'doodle-doo'; also a falsetto 'co-co-coo' and a... read more
Habitat
Occupies a wide variety of open habitats with grassy understorey and at least scattered bushes or... read more
Food and feeding
Diet consists primarily of small seeds, especially of grasses and sedges, with a small amount of insect and other invertebrate food; in... read more
Breeding
Breeds in all months, with less activity during peak of dry season. Pairs may initiate several clutches (as many as 8) in a single season.... read more
Movements
Sedentary, with limited local movements in response to food and water availability.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened. Adaptable, widespread and common in many parts of its sizeable range. Ability to colonize urban areas, and make use of agricultural land indicate... read more
Closely related to G. striata and G. maugeus; all three have sometimes been considered conspecific, but songs are distinctly different. Proposal that specific name tranquilla be reinstated as senior synonym for this species, with current scientific name relegated to junior position#R#R, was countered by others, who emphasized importance of stabilizing nomenclature of Australian species by suppression of disused and dubious senior names#R; current name validated#R. Race clelandi sometimes subsumed within nominate, but seems to be distinctly paler#R. Birds from S of range sometimes maintained as a separate race, tranquilla, on grounds of slightly larger size and minor plumage differences from nominate (neck tends to be a little darker, barring narrower), but generally considered inseparable#R. Three subspecies recognized.