Speckled Pigeon

Columba guinea

Other Names

  Rock Pigeon, African Rock Pigeon, Guinea Pigeon, Red-eyed Pigeon, Hackled Pigeon   Pigeon roussard   Guineataube   Paloma de Guinea   Guineaduva   Gespikkelde Duif   Colomba della Guinea

World: Africa: Widely distributed S of 16°N although absent from the equatorial lowland areas and from much of the Congo basin S through Botswana.

Kenya: Mostly absent from the W of the country, range is primarily E of 38°E.

A locally common bird in open country with rocks and cliff ledges. It feeds mainly on seeds along with newly germinated shoots. Speckled Pigeons breed and roost on cliff ledges and more recently have taken to breeding in buildings. This has helped the species to increase in number and range. We have found Samburu to be a particularly good place to see these birds (in fact at Samburu lodge they have been known to breed in the high cone-shaped roof of the bar area!).