📸 PhotoPhoto: J. Patrick Fischer · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Source
Oriental Turtle Dove
Streptopelia orientalis (Oriental Turtle Dove · キジバト)
💡 Everyday Comparisons for Size, Mass & Speed
- 💡 Its body length of 33 cm is about 3 cm longer than the long side of an A4 sheet of paper (29.7 cm) (Comparison).
- 💡 It can be recognized by its low, husky 'goo, goo, koo-, koo-' call, and because it commonly breeds in gardens and wooded areas, it can also be heard in neighborhood parks.
Reference standards: coach bus ~12 m, mid-size car ~4.9 m, compact car ~1 t, basketball hoop 3.05 m, credit card 8.56 cm.
📖 1. Overview
The Oriental Turtle Dove is a representative dove of Korea, distributed from southern Siberia across Japan, China, and the Himalayas.
🦴 2. Anatomy & Morphology
Its head, neck, and underparts are grayish-brown, and its dark gray wing feathers have rufous edges that look mottled when the wings are folded. It has a white band at the tip of the tail, gray-and-black striped patches on the sides of the neck, and red eyes and legs.
🔍 3. Ecology & Behavior
It breeds commonly in gardens, forests, and wooded areas, building a loose nest of twigs and laying 2 eggs. During the breeding season, it also glides with its wings held flat.
🇰🇷 4. Connection to Korea
The National List of Species of Korea lists it as a representative dove of Korea inhabiting the entire country.
📚 Sources & References
- • IUCN Red List LC (2024) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22690439/264165100
- • IUCN Red List category LC — latest assessment at iucnredlist.org
- • doi.org — avilist.v2026
- • iucnredlist.org — 264165100
- • 국가생물종목록(국립생물자원관) ktsn 120000086224 — https://species.nibr.go.kr/home/mainHome.do?cont_link=009&subMenu=009002&contCd=009002&ktsn=120000086224
- • wikidata.org — Q704987
- • commons.wikimedia.org — File:2026-08-27 Streptopelia orientalis in Chitose.jpg
- • species.nibr.go.kr — mainHome.do
- • Silhouette: PhyloPic — Andy Wilson · CC0 1.0 (Congeneric silhouette — Streptopelia decaocto)
Recorded dimensions are widely cited representative estimates from public literature and may vary by study or specimen.