Gibbs, Barnes, and Cox report the African collared dove has an overall length ranges from 260 to 270 mm. and weight ranges from 150 to 160 grams. (3)

Brown reports the length of the Barbary dove is between 300 and 310 mm. and the weight is between 150 and 200 grams. (1)

Adult African collared doves' coloration of the upper parts is a pale grayish fawn with blue gray along the wing edge. There is a black neck ring extending half way around the neck on the back of the neck. Chin, belly, and under wing are whitish in color.  The orbital skin a narrow white ring, and the iris dark red.  The bill is black and the feet are red. 

The Barbary dove is usually somewhat larger and has a longer tail than the African collared dove. This may have resulted as some cross breeding with the Eurasian collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto (4).  The coloration is a warm, creamy buff shading to near white on the chin, belly, and under tail coverts.  There is a black, white edged collar on the back of the neck

Distribution and Habitat

The natural range of the African collared dove is in the savannah lands south of the Sahara Desert in Africa from Senegal and Mauritania in the west across the continent to Sudan and Ethiopia in the east. They are also located along the Red Sea coast in Arabia and in Yemen.

Feral populations of the ringneck dove are in found many areas of the world.  I have observed large populations in the Tampa - St. Petersburg area of Florida and also have seen a number of pairs around Tallahassee, Florida.  Others have told me this dove can be found throughout south Florida.  Derek Goodwin (3) reports a long time colony in Los Angles, California.  People also have written in with reports of populations in south Texas and Arizona.  I have also received reports from observations made by people in Indiana and Ohio.  Considering the cold winter climate in these areas the observed birds may have come from people who keep and free fly their ringnecks in that area.  Or they may have been

It should be noted that the ringneck dove is often confused with the Eurasian collared dove which has taken up residence throughout Florida since the 1980's.  However this dove is usually larger than the ringneck, has a different call, and has dark primary flight feathers, while the ringneck usually has light primaries.  To further confuse the issue, members of feral ringneck populations have often mated with the European Collared Dove

Nesting

The African collared dove constructs nests in small trees and bushes, not very high above the ground.  Two eggs are laid one or two days apart and then incubated for 14 days.  After hatching the parents feed babies with "pigeon milk" which comes from the lining of their crops.  After a week or so the parents begin to add seed to the diet.  In three weeks the babies are on an all seed diet and usually fledge, however they are not self sufficient yet. The parents' will continue to feed them for another week as they learn how to find food in the wild.

This page was developed in response to a number of requests for information about ringneck doves that was received during the spring of 1999.

My personal experience is only related to two birds, a single male ringneck dove I purchased for my niece in the fall of 1990 from a hub cap dealer and a young white albino ringneck dove given to me by a bird rehabilitator in 2006.  Thus this page is based upon the experience I have had with these two birds and information from the few books I have listed as references. 

For those who are interested in seeing a list of the different color variations click on the link (left side menu) to the Dove Page prepared by Wade Oliver and go to the ringneck species. Mr. Oliver has a complete illustrated display of the known color variations.

Taking Care of Ringneck Doves in the Home

The following information is provided for people who have acquired a single dove. No information is included regarding nesting and raising babies. If that information is needed you can refer to the page for the mourning doves and the one for diamond doves on this site or you can obtain one or more of the books included in the reference section on this page.

In the fall of 1989, I purchased Brownstone from a hub cap dealer since there were no other breeders in this area at the time. We asked for a female but within several months the dove’s bow coos made it obvious that we had a male. The birds was not tame at all when we brought it home and in fact it seemed angry. It was quite willing to peck us when it was handled and it rejected treats by tossing them across the room. Holding the bird was not easy and the only way to catch the bird to return it to its cage after free flying was to tire it out. I now wonder if the bird had been abused.

But within a year the bird adjusted to our whole family and bonded on my niece. It only was kept in his cage when no one was at home and otherwise it learned to stay in the kitchen unless someone took her out as stools were accumulated in one place and cleaned. He was easily picked up and held and was quite willing to lay on any of us while we sat and watched television. In a a few more years my niece had trained him to come on command. If my two nieces faked a fight between them the ringneck would defend my oldest niece by attacking the other.

The two babies a few weeks later

Photo by Mindy McQueen - Kingwood, Texas

Brownstone was notorious for doing non-stop bow coos for most of the day. It seemed he would only stop for eating. He would do bow coos for family members hands, feet, and various possessions like a pocketbook. He would go around to every mirror and reflective device and do bow coos to his own image. He has done bow coos for a small teddy bear and other stuffed animals. And he will even mount and "mate" with certain objects if allowed. The noise level can be loud enough to interfere with conversation, telephone calls, or listening to the radio or TV. In fact it can nerve racking, but he will stop if you pick him up and give him a hug. I definitely would not recommend obtaining a single male ringneck if you are living in an apartment. 

Seed, Water, and Grit Containers

Seed, grit, and water containers can be of various designs but it is most important to have designs and/or locations that will prevent the contamination of the contents by bird droppings as this can cause and facilitate the transmission of a wide variety of diseases and internal parasites. If you find droppings in and food or water contained then something needs to be changed. I prefer to use glass water containers to avoid water that is contaminated by plastics or other chemicals. I have been using a simple plastic contamination shield to protect water dishes form droppings.  Instructions for the construction of a shield can be seen on the Caring for Diamond Doves page of this site.  Seed containers should be designed to prevent seed wastage because the birds like to throw seeds when they are looking for that best seed that they never find. Some use a wire grating over the top of the seed and others use seed containers with snap on lids that have small openings in the top.

Nest Boxes and Nesting Material

Three Kinds of Ringneck Dove Nest Boxes

1.  This box is made from a 48 oz. oatmeal container.  It has a diameter of five inches and the inside height is 2.25 inches.  It is placed on the cage floor.  It could be weighted or attached to the cage wall to prevent tipping. It is placed on the cage floor.  This next box has natural nesting material inside.  

2.  This box is also made from a 48 oz. oatmeal container.  It has a "backboard" to allow it to be attached to the cage wall at some height above the cage floor. The rim of the nest box should be positioned below the highest perch to prevent the birds from perching on the box and soiling the contents.  Artificial nesting material made from strips cut from 3 x 5 cards are inside this next box.

3.  This next box is made from a rectangular piece of cardboard having the dimensions of 9 by 11 inches.  The finished box has a length of six inches and a width of four inches.  It can be placed on the cage floor.  This nest box is recommended by Dr. Miller, a ringneck expert.  See this link for a plan to make this box. Box Plan

RIngneck Dove Nest Box (2.5 x 4.0 x 6.0 inches)

For information about nesting material, click on Caring for Diamond Doves page on the left side menu.

Emergency Care and Feeding of Babies

Sometimes parents reject their babies because of some perceived defect that we humans are not able to see.  Breeders often believe it is best to not continue with those babies.  However, I have gone ahead and handfed such babies and found that they grew up and functioned normally as far as I could see.  I should note my experience has been with diamonds, not ringnecks.

It is recommended that dove chicks be maintained at a temperature of 95.0 to 97 F to optimize the metabolism of their food (1).  Temperature can be controlled using a lamp with an adjustable arm.  A thermometer should be used and checked frequently as room temperatures often change significantly during the day.  A small bowl of water near the container use to house the chicks can be used to provide the necessary humidity.

The feeding phases (1) are approximately as follows:

• Day 1 to Day 4 - Formula, with decreasing amounts of water added
• Day 5 to Day 12 - Formula mixed with seed. increasing amounts of seed
• Day 12 to Day 21- Seed only, fledges around day 21(1)
• Day 21 to Day 28 - Seed only, starts to eat seed alone a few days after fledging
• Day 28 to Day 30 - Babies should probably be removed from the parents' cage to avoid being attacked.

As stated elsewhere on this site, Roundybush's Squab Formula is made for doves and usually results in the best growth as it includes proteins and fats not included formulas made for other birds (1).  Kaytee's Exact can be used, but the growth will be less than optimum. Another possibility is Gerber's High Protein Baby Cereal (7). 

Personality

Although it does take some time to tame a ringneck dove that has not had close contact with humans, my feeling is that they will become a very warm and affectionate companion of the owner who spends time with the bird and does not confine the bird to a cage when they are home. Tame ringnecks like to be near their owner and will express their affection in many ways.  Last night my daughter and I were watching a movie on the computer and after messing around with the diamonds for a while she came and landed on my daughters chest and snuggled up under her chin occasional shaking her wings and giving low coos.  Later we were playing chess and he landed on my shoulder and snuggled down flat and went to sleep, occasionally waking up and preening his feathers.  

Brownstone sleeping on his owner's shoulder

He stayed there on my shoulder for over two hours.  When it gets to be about 11 pm or so, he will come to one of us and land on our heads.  We have learned that this is the signal that we need to turn down the bright lights so he can go back to his cage and go to sleep for the night.  Many people, particularly those who live alone, keep a single ringneck as a "companion" bird.  They are far more affectionate the most cats and are much cheaper and easier to keep than a dog.

Taming Ringneck Doves

Many people ask me about methods they might use to tame ringneck doves.  As a result I have written a short article in the methods that I have used in the past.  While this article is about taming a variety of dove species, it should be useful for those who have recently acquired ringnecks.  Link to Taming Doves

In regard to our own experience to tame my daughter's bird as I recall now it was a long and discouraging process.  The bird seemed to be angry perhaps because the way it was treated before we got it.  When offered food he did not just refuse it but rather threw it back at us.  Other than that it took six months before he transformed himself into the loveable bird that he has today.  

I had another dove that was given to me and I did not have much time to pay attention to her.  But I did allow her out of her cage when I was home.  At first she explored the carpet looking for spilled seed but within four days she was up on my desk watching me work on the computer,  Since I ate meals at my desk, she soon felt she needed to share them.  She soon was eating all kind of human food if I cut the pieces small enough.  Within a few months she was tame enough to fly to me when I called her. 

We have had the white albino now for about six months and in some ways it was fairly tame when we got it as it would sit on one's finger, or snuggle down in one's hand, but she was and continues to be easily spooked which we suppose is related to her blindness.

Longevity

Many people write with questions about how long ringneck doves will live.  While the usual life span of a ringneck dove is around 15 years or so, I have heard that some people's pet ringnecks have lived into their mid thirties.  Here is an accounting of four ringnecks that I know of that have lived more than 20 years.

Brownstone - 11/07/2007

About age 17 - lived to age 22

Our ringneck dove Brownstone was purchased in January 1990 for my niece who was just starting high school.  We figured he hatched out the previous spring which would make him 21 years old sometime this spring.(2011).  He was kept as a single dove throughout his life by my niece.  He had a pellet diet from his sixth month  with us until he came to live with last year.  He moved in with me and my doves because my niece married and her husband had two large dogs.  Although offered his regular pellet diet he chose to eat the seeds that my other doves eat.  He has a lame leg that causes him to limp but still is a strong flyer and often is able to hover in place.

Eve - Age 29 plus on December 16, 2005
Photograph by Angie Nicol

Angie Nicol of Illinois sent me the photo above of her pet ringneck, Eve.  She purchased this dove more than 28 years ago in a dime store in Vienna, IL.  The last anniversary of the dove's purchase was on December 16, 2005  Angie told me that she thought the bird was a year old when she obtained her which would make her around 28 years old as of December 2005. I have lost contact with Angie so I do not know if this dove is still living 

11/25/1983 to 10/5/2013

Opal at an age of two months

Sharon O'Connell of Chicago, Illinois was given her white ringneck dove by friends while she was a senior at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.  Her friends owned the dove's parents.  Sharon named her ringneck Opal.  Sharon thought he was a female but in time his bow coos dispelled that idea.  The baby hatched out on November 25, 1983 making him 27 years old on Thanksgiving Day 2010.   The photo below was taken at Opal's 27th birthday party.    Sharon says she has feed him 1/3 canary seed and 2/3 finch seed all his life.

  Opal at an age of exactly 27 years - 10/25/2010

She never gave him any vitamins.  The only other maintenance included the clipping of nails and an occasional bath in the bathroom sink.  And the bird has never been sick or injured and thus had never been to a vet. Now that he is older, the only sign of aging seems to be a wheezing as he flies around her home and gasping for air.  But then Sharon comments that most of us have these problems when we age.

Opal at an age of about 28 years - 11/11/2011

Opal at an age of about 29 years - 11/12/2012

Opal seemed to stay strong and healthy until mid May 2013.  At that time he seemed to have suffered a stroke. During the summer he slowly deteriorated and by July he was limping and not really flying.  That was why they were able to take him outside and get photos like the one below.

Opal - 7/8/2013 - after stroke

As time went on he started living mostly in the bottom of his cage.  Sometimes he would have seizures which became more frequent in the fall.

Opal - 9/2/2013