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Species
- Ringneck
Dove (Streptopelia risoria)
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Description:
The
Ringneck Dove is easily the most commonly kept dove
in captivity. This domesticated bird (Streptopelia risoria)
descends from the African Ring Dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea).
This bird is about 12" from tail to head. The original
wild coloring is quite beautiful as are the over Forty
aknowledged color mutations/combinations. The
Wild colored bird has brown and grey feathers on the
back and wings with a rich rose colored head and breast
and a black neck ring.
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Other Names:
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Collared
Dove, Barbary Dove, Domestic Ringed Dove |
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| Subspecies: |
None |
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| Natural
Habitat: |
Only
in captivity.
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| Status
in Wild: |
This species is kept only in captivity but is thought
to descend from the African Ring Dove. |
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| IN
CAPTIVITY |
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| Housing: |
Ringnecks
can be kept and bred in cages as small as 2 feet square.
Males
tend to be quarrelsome with other males so it is best
to keep them in single pairs. |
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| Temperatures: |
Ringnecks
are a hardy bird. If slowly acclimated and protected from
the elements, they can take below freezing for a moderate
period of time. |
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| Feeding: |
Ringneck doves
do well on a diet of various grains and seeds including
millet, milo, wheat, black sunflower, canary grass, safflower
and cracked corn. A quality wild bird seed mix is excellent,
or commercial dove mixes may be purchased from many local
feed stores. As with all seed-eating doves a quailty,
high-calcium grit should be offered as well. |
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| Breeding: |
CLICK
HERE for notes on breeding Ringneck Doves by Wade
Oliver. |
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| Numbers: |
Ringnecks are
surely the most commonly kept dove in the world. Estimating
a number would be impossible and would likely be in the
hundreds of thousands worldwide. |
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