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Spotted dove (Spilopelia chinensis)

Spotted Doves are introduced in Australia and are associated with urban areas, gardens and agricultural land. They feed on seeds and grain and can become a nuisance or minor pest where they gather in numbers.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, bird.

Native to: South and Southeast Asia, extending into eastern Asia.

Established in: QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, SA, WA, NT.

Other names: Spotted Turtle-dove, Chinese Spotted Dove.

Best time to act: Survey feeding and roosting areas in the morning when birds are active, then act promptly once regular use is confirmed and monitor for their return.

Identification

  • A medium-sized dove with a plump body and a long, tapered tail.
  • The head and upperparts are grey-brown, with pinkish-buff underparts.
  • Look for the distinctive black patch on the back of the neck, marked with white spots.
  • The tail has pale tips and dark markings, and the legs are reddish.
  • Look-alike: Native doves can look similar at a distance, but the Spotted Dove’s black-and-white spotted nape patch is a useful identifying feature.

Where it lives

In Australia it is commonly found in towns, gardens, parks, farmland and other open, human-modified areas, particularly in the east.

Why it matters

  • It eats seeds and grain and may feed on agricultural crops or stored and spilled grain.
  • Where birds congregate, their feeding, droppings and calls can create nuisance issues around buildings and public spaces.

How it spreads

  • Established populations can expand into nearby areas where food, water and nesting sites are available.
  • Its use of gardens, parks and other human-modified habitats can support its persistence and movement between local sites.

Control methods

  • First reduce food availability by securing bins and feed, cleaning up spilled grain and seed, and avoiding deliberate feeding.
  • Use exclusion measures, such as suitable netting or barriers, where birds are accessing specific buildings or crops; inspect and maintain them regularly.
  • If further control is needed, use only humane methods approved for the location and have trapping or other direct control carried out by suitably trained people.
  • Check current state or territory wildlife and biosecurity requirements before acting, and report concerns to the relevant authority where requested.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Keep grain and feed contained, clean up spilled seed, and avoid carrying food scraps between sites.
  • Clean equipment used around feeding or roosting areas before moving it elsewhere, and avoid transporting feathers or nesting debris.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: General biosecurity duty. Not prohibited matter in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Declared animal. Declared animals have legal restrictions, which can cover keeping, moving, selling and releasing them, and landowners may be required to control them.
  • Western Australia: Not listed. Not found in the Western Australian Organism List. Check with DPIRD before moving or keeping it.
  • Tasmania: Not a declared pest. Not a declared pest or prohibited matter in Tasmania. Importing animals is still controlled by Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • Northern Territory: Not a declared pest. Not on an NT declared or prohibited list. Check with the NT Government before keeping, moving or releasing it.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Australian Capital Territory: Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT), administered by ACT Biosecurity
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Northern Territory: Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976 (NT), administered by NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Sources