
African Olive Pigeon
The African olive pigeon or Rameron pigeon (Columba arquatrix) is a pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in much of eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia to the Cape.
Species insights
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Curve from 1,121 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where African Olive Pigeon is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,121 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the African Olive Pigeon
Stays that give back
Across KwaZulu-Natal
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Grassland biome
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 850 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Grassland biome · Bushbuck · Common eland
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust and 1 other
From R 6,800 a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Grassland biome · Bushbuck · Vervet monkey
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
From R 795 a night
African Olive Pigeon recorded here · Savanna biome · African wild dog · Spotted hyena
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Forest biome · Hippopotamus · Nile crocodile
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation and 1 other
Price on request
Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biome
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
From R 13,000 a night
Grassland biome
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 4,280 a night
Birder friendly · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Zululand Conservation Trust
From R 1,280 a night
Grassland biome
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust and 2 others
From R 5,400 a night
Birder friendly · Grassland biome
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
From R 5,990 a night
Grassland biome · Spotted hyena · Leopard
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 1,140 a night
Birder friendly · Grassland biome
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 1,691 a night
Forest biome · Humpback whale · Southern right whale
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
Price on request
Birder friendly · Grassland biome · Blesbok · Serval
Gives back to Zululand Conservation Trust and 3 others
From R 1,200 a night
Grassland biome
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 1,950 a night
Grassland biome · Bushbuck · Serval
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 4,100 a night
Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
Price on request
Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biome
Gives back to National Sea Rescue Institute
From R 3,995 a night
Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
Price on request
Birder friendly · Savanna biome
Gives back to Zululand Conservation Trust and 2 others
From R 1,840 a night
Birder friendly · Savanna biome · African elephant · Cape buffalo
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 14,000 a night
Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
Price on request
Birder friendly · Savanna biome · Giraffe · Nyala
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 3,280 a night
Birder friendly · Savanna biome · Leopard · Giraffe
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 240 a night
Rolling green hills, dairy farms, and pottery studios
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the African Olive Pigeon
Hosts have recorded the African Olive Pigeon at stays in or beside Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and iSimangaliso Wetland 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.
Species
Columba arquatrix
Records
1,121
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the African Olive Pigeon on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the African Olive Pigeon in KwaZulu-Natal?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the African Olive Pigeon at stays in or beside Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park. 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 African Olive Pigeon in South Africa?
The African Olive Pigeon is most recorded in Western Cape (52% of records), Gauteng (23% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (10% of records), based on 1,121 iNaturalist observations. 5 places to stay on Spekboom in KwaZulu-Natal have recorded the African Olive Pigeon on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the African Olive Pigeon?
The African Olive Pigeon 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. Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; iSimangaliso Wetland Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the African Olive Pigeon?
The African olive pigeon or Rameron pigeon (Columba arquatrix) is a pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in much of eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia to the Cape. Populations also are found in western Angola, southwestern Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen. It is locally common, although sizeable gaps in its distribution occur due to its habitat requirements.
























