Namaqua Dove

Description:

Very small and attractive African dove, with a very long tail. The size of its body is barely bigger than a sparrow, but the tail often confuse the picture. The male (pictured here) is easily recognised by its black face-and-chest-mask, and red-orange bill. The female (not captured today) is all light grey.

Habitat:

Very common in Sub-Saharan Africa, found in dry and open-wooded areas. Here, seen in Kunene region of Namibia (northwest), in arid acacia tree-and-shrub landscape. The region is still very dry (but still magnificent and rich in wildlife) at the moment, following a three-year dry-spell - and guess what, in Korixas, it's finally raining today.