Western Cape
Goukamma · Grootvadersbosch · Garden Route
Self-driveMalaria-free
Stays in Western CapeWhere to see
Where to see the Lemon Dove in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Lemon Dove at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve and Garden Route National Park.
Aplopelia larvata
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Lemon Dove
Hosts have recorded the Lemon Dove at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve and Garden Route 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
KwaZulu-Natal
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi · iSimangaliso Wetland
KwaZulu-NatalStays in KwaZulu-Natal
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Aplopelia larvata
Records
512
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Lemon Dove on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Lemon Dove in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Lemon Dove at stays in or beside Goukamma Nature Reserve, Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve, Garden Route National Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Robberg Nature Reserve 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 Lemon Dove in South Africa?
The Lemon Dove is most recorded in Western Cape (69% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (20% of records), Eastern Cape (6% of records), based on 512 iNaturalist observations. 22 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Lemon Dove on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Lemon Dove?
The Lemon 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. Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Garden Route National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Lemon Dove?
The lemon dove or cinnamon dove is a species of bird in the pigeon family Columbidae found in montane forests of sub-Saharan Africa. The São Tomé lemon dove is usually treated as a subspecies. The lemon dove has a generally brownish-grey plumage with a cinnamon brown breast.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Lemon Dove
Every stay on the Lemon 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