Speckled Pigeon, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

One of the colourful birds I saw on my visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, last December was the very common Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea) shown in the photos on this post. It was one of the more common birds in the grounds of the school where my daughter was teaching. The loud cooing of this species continued throughout most of the day.

This species is common throughout much of Africa south of the Sahara. It is common not only in urban areas like where I saw it, but also in farming areas, grasslands and open country. It is found from sea level through to land about 3000 metres in altitude.

Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia