Western Cape
Cederberg Wilderness Area · Goukamma · Anysberg
Self-driveMalaria-free
Stays in Western CapeWhere to see
Where to see the Laughing Dove in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Laughing Dove at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve and Kruger National Park.
Spilopelia senegalensis
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Laughing Dove
Hosts have recorded the Laughing Dove at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve and Kruger National Park.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Where to base yourself
- Western Cape
Limpopo
Kruger
LimpopoSelf-driveStays in Limpopo
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi
Northern CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Northern Cape
Eastern Cape
Kwandwe
Eastern CapeGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
Ways to look
Species
Spilopelia senegalensis
Records
6,766
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Laughing Dove on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Laughing Dove in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Laughing Dove at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park, Anysberg Nature Reserve, Gamkaberg Nature Reserve and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Laughing Dove in South Africa?
The Laughing Dove is most recorded in Western Cape (41% of records), Gauteng (23% of records), Eastern Cape (9% of records), based on 6,766 iNaturalist observations. 98 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Laughing Dove on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Laughing Dove?
The Laughing Dove is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Anysberg Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Laughing Dove?
The laughing dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) is a small pigeon that is a resident breeder in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Western Australia where it has established itself in the wild after being released from Perth Zoo in 1898. This small long-tailed dove is found in dry scrub and semi-desert habitats where pairs can often be seen feeding on the ground.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Laughing Dove
Every stay on the Laughing Dove page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay