Turtur is a small genus of doves native to Sub-Saharan Africa.[2] Species in this genus are known as wood doves.
| Wood doves | |
|---|---|
| |
| Turtur chalcospilos (behind) and Turtur afer (front) by Henrik Grönvold | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Columbiformes |
| Family: | Columbidae |
| Subfamily: | Columbinae |
| Genus: | Turtur Boddaert, 1783 |
| Type species | |
| Columba afra[1] Linnaeus, 1766 | |
| Species | |
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See text. | |
The genus Turtur was introduced in 1783 by the Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert to accommodate the blue-spotted wood dove (Turtur afer).[3][4] The word Turtur is Latin for "turtle dove".[5]
The genus contains five species:[6]
| Image | Scientific name | Common name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Turtur chalcospilos | Emerald-spotted wood dove | eastern and southern Africa. |
 |
Turtur abyssinicus | Black-billed wood dove | Africa just south of the Sahara Desert. |
 |
Turtur afer | Blue-spotted wood dove | Africa south of the Sahel |
 |
Turtur tympanistria | Tambourine dove | from Senegal east to Ethiopia and Kenya and southwards through eastern Africa to south-eastern South Africa |
 |
Turtur brehmeri | Blue-headed wood dove | African tropical rainforest. |
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