Wildlifeof Nepal
Speckled Woodpigeon
Pigeons, Doves & Sandgrouse
Photo: (c) Sagnik Dutta Roy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Columba hodgsonii
Basic stats
Diet
Acorns, berries, drupes and fruits; also herbs and cereals
Habitat
Himalayan forest; nests 3–8m above ground
Range
Himalayas from Kashmir to western and central China; Nepal, India, Bhutan, Pakistan and Southeast Asia
Clutch size
Usually a single bright white egg
Size
38–40cm
The speckled wood pigeon, also called Hodgson's pigeon or the jungle pigeon, is a medium-sized pigeon 38 to 40cm long. Males have a pale grey head and a distinctive pinkish-silver breast speckled with black spots and a maroon belly, while females have a grey-brown head and less vibrant colour. Juveniles resemble the female but are browner and paler (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is distributed across the Himalayas from Kashmir to western and central China, including Nepal. It feeds mainly on acorns, berries, drupes and fruits, typically in pairs, small groups or flocks of six to ten, and has been seen feeding on the acorns of brown oak and on figs. Breeding is from May to August, with nests 3 to 8m above the ground and usually a single egg.
Quick answers
- What does the Speckled Woodpigeon eat?
- Acorns, berries, drupes and fruits; also herbs and cereals
- What habitat does the Speckled Woodpigeon live in?
- Himalayan forest; nests 3–8m above ground
- Where is the Speckled Woodpigeon found?
- Himalayas from Kashmir to western and central China; Nepal, India, Bhutan, Pakistan and Southeast Asia
- How many eggs does the Speckled Woodpigeon lay?
- Usually a single bright white egg
- How big is the Speckled Woodpigeon?
- 38–40cm