Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata)

The Zebra Dove Geopelia striata, also known as Barred Ground Dove, is a bird of the dove family Columbidae, native to South-east Asia.

The native range of the species extends from Southern Thailand, Tenasserim, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore to the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java,Bali and Lombok. It may also be native in the Philippines.

It inhabits scrub, farmland and open country in lowland areas and is commonly seen in parks and gardens. Trapping for the cagebird industry has led to them becoming rare in parts of Indonesia but in most parts of its range it is common. Zebra Doves are among the most abundant birds in some places such as Hawaii and the Seychelles.

The birds are small and slender with a long, narrow tail. The upperparts are brownish-grey with black-and-white barring. The underparts are pinkish with black bars on the sides of the neck, breast and belly. The face is blue-grey with bare blue skin around the eyes. There are white tips to the tail feathers.

The Zebra Dove feeds on small grass and weed seeds. They will also eat insects and other small invertebrates. They prefer to forage on bare ground, short grass or on roads, scurrying about with rodent-like movement. Unlike other doves, they forage alone, or in pairs. Their coloration camouflages them wonderfully against the ground.

                                                                              Location:  Paya Indah Wetland Dengkil Selangor Msia.