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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Columbidae
  4. ›
  5. Geopelia
  6. ›
  7. Bar-shouldered Dove
Bar-shouldered Dove
Photo · (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Bar-shouldered Dove

Geopelia humeralis(Temminck, 1821)

Updated 11 June 2026

Origin: Native
Order
COLUMBIFORMES
Family
Columbidae
Genus
Geopelia

At a glance

The Bar-shouldered Dove is a medium-sized bird, about 27–30 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
27–30 cm
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Bar-shouldered Dove look like?

The Bar-shouldered Dove is a medium-sized bird, about 27–30 cm long and weighing 90–149 g.

The bar-shouldered dove is a species of long tailed dove native to Australia and Southern New Guinea. It is protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. It is a medium-sized pigeon varying in size from 26–30 cm (10–12 in). Its voice is a distinctive and melodious "cook-a-wook" or "coolicoo".

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
27–30 cm
Weight
90–149 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Bar-shouldered Dove?

The Bar-shouldered Dove is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

Call

jimchurches · Cobar, AU-NS, AU

Call

Suzanne Muzic · Bartle Frere, QLD, AU

Call

Thomas Mesaglio · Cattai Wetlands, New South Wales

Call

Martin Rady · 95RM+9M Don & Christine Burnett Conservation Area, Sheldon QLD 4157, Australia

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Bar-shouldered Dove eat?

The Bar-shouldered Dove feeds on seeds, usually foraging in pairs or flocks.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

The BirdUp app

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Bar-shouldered Dove live in Australia?

The Bar-shouldered Dove is native to Australia, recorded across 52 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingSouth-central and south-east New Guinea and north and east Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident

7 regions recorded