Editing Laughing dove (section)

==Behaviour and ecology==
The species is usually seen in pairs or small parties and only rarely in larger groups. Larger groups are formed especially when drinking at waterholes in arid regions. Small numbers assemble on trees near waterholes before flying to the water's edge where they are able to suck up water like other members of the pigeon family.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Flocking as an anti-predator strategy in doves|author1=Siegfried WR |author2=LG Underhill | doi=10.1016/0003-3472(75)90126-8 |journal =Animal Behaviour| volume =23| issue=3| year=1975 | pages =504–508|s2cid=53172303 }}</ref> Laughing doves eat the fallen [[seed]]s, mainly of [[grass]]es, other vegetable matter and small ground insects such as termites and beetles.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Satheesan SM |author2=Prakash Rao |author3=H Datye |pages=452–453| title=Biometrics and food of some doves of the genus ''Streptopelia''| journal=Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society|volume= 87| issue=3|year=1990|url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48807180}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|journal=Continental Journal of Biological Sciences|volume=1| pages=1–9| year=2008|author1=Adang, KL |author2=Ezealor AU |author3=Abdu PA |author4=Yoriyo KP | title=Food habits of four sympatric columbids (Aves:Columbidae) in Zaria, Nigeria|url=https://archive.org/details/FoodHabitsOfFourSympatricColumbidsavesColumbidaeInZariaNigeria}}</ref> They are fairly terrestrial, foraging on the ground in [[grassland]]s and cultivation. Their flight is quick and direct with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the [[wing]]s characteristic of pigeons in general.<ref name=hbk /> 
[[File:Spilopelia senegalensis Egg.jpg|thumb|left|Nest on an olive tree with a typical clutch of two eggs, [[Djerba]] island]]
The male in courtship display follows the female with head bobbing displays while cooing. The male pecks its folded wings in "displacement-preening" to solicit copulation from the female. A female accepts by crouching and begging for food. The male may indulge in courtship feeding before mounting and copulating. Pairs may preen each other.<ref name=turkey/> Males may also launch into the air with wing clapping above their backs and then glide down in a gentle arc when displaying. The species has a spread out breeding season in Africa. Almost year-round in [[Malawi]] and [[Turkey]];<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Journal für Ornithologie| year=1997|volume =138| issue =3| pages=335–336| title=Winterbrut freilebender Palmtauben Streptopelia senegalensis|author= Biricik, Murat  |doi=10.1007/BF01651560| s2cid=20538661}}</ref> and mainly May to November in Zimbabwe, February to June in Egypt and Tunisia. In Australia the main breeding season is September to November.<ref name=emu76>{{cite journal|author1=Frith, HJ |author2=JL McKean |author3=LW Braithwaite | year=1976| title=Sexual cycles and food of the doves ''Streptopelia chinensis'' and ''S. senegalensis'' in Australia|journal=Emu| volume=76|issue=1 | pages=15–24|doi=10.1071/MU9760015|bibcode=1976EmuAO..76...15F }}</ref> The nest is a very flimsy platform of twigs built in a low bush and sometimes in crevices or under the eaves of houses. Both parents build the nest with males bringing the twigs which are then placed by the female. Two eggs are laid within an interval of a day between them and both parents take part in building the [[bird nest|nest]], incubating and feeding the young. Males spend more time incubating the nest during the day.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Journal für Ornithologie| year= 1993| volume =134| issue =3| pages=348–351 | title=Brutablösung bei freilebenden Palmtauben (Streptopelia senegalensis)|author1=Biricik, Murat |author2=Ahmet Kılıç |author3=Rüştü Şahin |doi=10.1007/BF01640432| s2cid= 25116410}}</ref> The eggs are incubated after the second egg is laid and the eggs hatch after about 13 to 15 days.<ref name=hbk /><ref>{{cite journal| author=Nene, RV |year=1979| title= Incubation and incubation period in the Indian Little Brown Dove ''Streptopelia senegalensis''| journal= Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume=76| issue=2|pages=362–363|url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48240749}}</ref> Nesting adults may feign injury to distract and draw predators away from the nest.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Manakadan, Ranjit |year=1995| title= Distraction display in the Little Brown Dove ''Streptopelia senegalensis'' (Linn.)|journal= Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume=92|issue=2|page=265| url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48613810}}</ref> Multiple broods may be raised by the same pair in the same nest. Seven broods by the same pair have been noted in [[Turkey]].<ref name=turkey>{{cite journal|journal= Journal für Ornithologie |doi=10.1007/BF01649756| year=1989| volume =130|issue= 2| pages=217–228| title=Fortpflanzungsverhalten der Palmtaube (Streptopelia senegalensis): Paarbildung bis Eiablage|author1=Biricik, Murat |author2=Ahmet Kılıç |author3=Rüştü Şahin |s2cid=45204809}}</ref> Initially the altricial hatchlings are fed with regurgitated crop-milk, a secretion from the lining of the crop of parent birds.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://indianbirds.thedynamicnature.com/2017/07/laughing-dove-spilopelia-senegalensis.html | title=Laughing dove }}</ref> The young fledge and leave the nest after about 14 to 16 days.<ref>{{cite journal|last=George|first=M John |year=2000| title= Multiple brooding of the Little Brown Dove ''Streptopelia senegalensis''|journal= Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume=97| issue=2|pages=280–283|url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48567714}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author1=Kumar, CR Ajith |author2=Ramachandran, NK |year=1990| title= Incubation period of Indian Little Brown Dove ''Streptopelia senegalensis'' (Linn.)| journal= Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume= 87| issue=2| pages=299–300|url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48807013}}</ref> The [[Jacobin cuckoo]] sometimes lays its egg in the nests of the laughing dove in Africa.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/stream/smithsonianmisce146196364smit#page/n164/mode/1up|title=Evolutionary trends in the genus ''Clamator''|author=Friedmann, H| year= 1964| journal=Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections|volume=164| issue=4|pages=1–106}}</ref>

Feral populations in Australia are sometimes infected by a virus that causes symptoms similar to that produced in parrots by psittacine beak and feather disease.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Raidal, SR  |author2=PA Riddoch|pages =829–836 |journal=Avian Pathology| volume =26|issue=4|year=1997 |title=A feather disease in Senegal doves (Streptopelia senegalensis) morphologically similar to psittacine beak and feather disease| doi= 10.1080/03079459708419256|pmid=18483948}}</ref> Several ectoparasitic [[bird louse|bird lice]] have been found on the species and include those in the genera ''[[Coloceras]]'', ''[[Columbicola]]'', ''[[Bonomiella]]'' and ''[[Hohorstiella]]''.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Ledger, JA|year=1969|title=Ectoparasite load in a laughing dove with a deformed mandible|journal=Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology|volume=41|pages=191–194|url=http://phthiraptera.info/Publications/46213.pdf|doi=10.1080/00306525.1970.9634364|issue=3|access-date=2012-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002459/http://phthiraptera.info/Publications/46213.pdf|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=dead}}</ref> A blood parasite ''Trypanosoma hannae'' has been recorded in the species.<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Bennett GF, Earlé RA, Squires-Parsons D |title= Trypanosomes of some sub-Saharan birds|journal= The Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research |year=1994| volume=61| issue=3|pages=263–271|pmid=7596580}}</ref> [[Southern grey shrike]] have been observed preying on an adult laughing dove in northwestern India while the [[lizard buzzard]] is a predator of the species in Africa.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Sharma, Ashok Kumar |year=1994| title= A Grey Shrike ''Lanius excubitor'' Linnaeus killing a full grown Little Brown Dove ''Streptopelia senegalensis'' (Linnaeus)|journal= Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume=91| issue=1| pages=142–143| url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48296523}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author1=Howland, N  |author2=S. Howland|year=1987| title=Lizard Buzzard taking Laughing Dove| journal=Honeyguide |volume=33|pages=100–101}}</ref> South African birds sometimes show a beak deformity in which the upper mandible overgrowth occurs.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Markus, MB|year=1962| title=Laughing Dove ''Streptopelia senegalensis'' (Linnaeus) with a deformed upper mandible| journal=Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology |volume=33| page=37|doi=10.1080/00306525.1962.9633457}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="130px">
Laughing dove (Spilopelia senegalensis cambayensis) 2.jpg|''S. s cambayensis''  in  [[Rajasthan]], [[India]]
Laughing Doves, Rottnest Island.JPG|Feral ''S. s. senegalensis'', [[Rottnest Island]], [[Western Australia]]
Laughing dove (Streptopelia senegalensis senegalensis) female.jpg|Female ''S. s. senegalensis'', [[Gambia]]
Sqabs of palm dove.jpg|Squabs of ''S. senegalensis'', [[Dubai]], [[U.A.E.]]
</gallery>