Spotted dove
Streptopelia chinensis
Most often seen on the lawns and gardens around Mansion House, with occasional birds along the Puriri Track and near homes around the island.
Uncommon on Kawau.
Story
A dove of south and south-east Asia, first released from captivity in Mt Eden, Auckland, in the 1920s. From the 1950s to the mid-1980s its range around Auckland spread outward by just under 2 km a year. It now lives from Whangārei to Rotorua, mainly in parks and gardens.
Behaviour
Usually seen in pairs or small groups, feeding on fallen seeds on the ground or perched in trees and on wires. In display, a male flies steeply up 20–30 m, then glides down on stiffly spread wings and tail. Pairs build a flimsy twig platform in a tree and raise several broods a year.