COVER STORY: SPECIES PROFILE
THE zebra dove (Geopelia striata) may have been the earliest species of exotic dove known to aviculture. For centuries it has been a popular cage bird in many parts of Asia, especially Indonesia and India. There, singing – or rather cooing – contests are still held, with each contestant housed in its traditional ornate woven basket cage and judged on their melodic flute-like coos. These are sometimes described (unconvincingly) as similar to the European cuckoo.
In Malaysia, this bird is also traditionally a household pet, according with the belief that a calm, gentle dove will bestow good luck on its owner’s home. Recent targeting by the wildlife trade has led to its rarity in some areas of Indonesia. It was often mentioned in writings by early explorers toregion and taken on sea voyages, presumably for food. The zebra doves in the Philippines originated this way. Escapes from captivity and deliberate introductions have resulted in feral populations of zebra doves in numerous countries, where they’re sometimes the most common pigeon species. Among other countries, they have been introduced into Tahiti, the Seychelles, Hawaii and Madagascar, where they can be found in gardens or congregating around hotels and other places of human activity waiting for food.
