🇹🇭 THAILEX VDO Life Among the Palm Fronds: The Hidden Nesting World of Red Turtle Doves

Red turtle doves, also known as a Red Collared Doves and with the binomial name Streptopelia tranquebarica, are small, warm-toned pigeons commonly found across Thailand, particularly in open woodlands, farmland, and urban gardens. Their nesting behavior often involves selecting palm trees, where the dense fronds provide both concealment and protection. The nests themselves are loosely constructed platforms of grass, placed in the crook of palm fronds or among the leaf bases. The male selects the nesting site and gathers materials, while the female constructs the nest. Typically, the clutch consists of two small, white eggs, which both parents take turns incubating for approximately two weeks. The height of palm trees offers a strategic advantage by keeping the nest safe from ground-dwelling predators, while the overlapping fronds create shade and shelter from Thailand’s tropical rains. Upon hatching, the young red turtle doves are blind, featherless, and entirely dependent on their parents. Their skin is soft and pinkish, and their beaks appear disproportionately large in comparison to their small heads. During the first few days, they remain nestled in the flimsy palm-frond nest, relying on their parents for warmth and nourishment. Both the male and female feed the chicks with crop milk, a nutrient-rich secretion produced in their throats. As the nestlings grow, a fine layer of down develops, and their eyes gradually open. Within a week, pin feathers begin emerging, giving them a spiky appearance before soft juvenile plumage replaces their initial covering. By the second week, their wing muscles strengthen, and they start stretching and flapping in preparation for flight. They often perch on the edge of the nest, testing their balance before making their first short flights. Even after fledging, the young remain close to their parents, learning to forage for seeds and small insects while still occasionally receiving food. Their soft brownish-gray plumage gradually transitions into the richer tones of adulthood, allowing them to blend into Thailand’s palm groves and open landscapes. The physical characteristics of red turtle doves exhibit clear sexual dimorphism. Males display a warm, reddish-cinnamon body with a bluish-gray head, while a bold black collar contrasts sharply against their paler grayish face. Their wings combine rufous and gray hues, and their tail feathers bear a dark subterminal band with white tips. Their eyes are dark, encircled by a thin pale orbital ring, and their legs and feet are pinkish-red. In contrast, females exhibit a more subdued coloration, with warm brown plumage that lacks the striking contrast seen in males. Their wings and back are a softer brownish-gray, allowing them to blend more subtly into their surroundings. Both sexes possess a slender, slightly curved beak of dark grayish-black, adapted for feeding on seeds and grains. Their flight is characterized by rapid wingbeats and a swift, direct trajectory. Juvenile red turtle doves resemble females in coloration but appear even duller, with a more uniform brownish-gray plumage. The black collar seen in adults is either faint or entirely absent, while their feathers have a slightly scaly appearance due to pale edges. Their beak is somewhat lighter in color than that of fully mature birds, and their eyes are darker with a less pronounced orbital ring. As they mature, their plumage develops richer tones, with young males eventually acquiring the reddish hue and the distinct black nape band characteristic of adult males. This gradual transformation ensures that juveniles blend well with their environment while they develop the necessary skills for survival in Thailand’s diverse habitats.
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