My Three Encounters with the Jambu Fruit Doves in Singapore

My Three Encounters with the Jambu Fruit Doves in Singapore

The Jambu Fruit Dove is a beautiful and shy dove found in Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo from lowland to 1200 m above sea level, usually seen alone, feeding on fruits in the middle canopy. It is not easy to spot in the forests. In Singapore, it seems to have better luck with the Jambu Fruit Doves.

My first and close encounter with a Jambu Fruit Dove was in the early morning of May 2015 when I had almost stepped on a beautiful female Jambu Fruit Dove on the ground by the roadside. The dove had crashed into the 10-stories building near Orchard Road and landed on the floor, sitting motionless and traumatised. Thankfully, still breathing. She has a green body, a pink face, and a yellow rim on her tail. An hour later, she recovered and flew off. I had not seen any more Jambu Fruit Dove in Singapore till a few years later.

In December 2021, I had my second chance to see a Jambu Fruit Dove in Jurong Lake Garden, Singapore. A lone male on Salam tree. It was not easy to get a clear shot as I had to shoot straight up with very narrow windows amongst the leaves and twigs. I recalled the neck-breaking exercise that I had to endure for a few days to get a clear shot.

My third encounter was in late April and early May 2022 when the False Curry Leaf trees at Dairy Farm Nature Park Singapore were fruiting. There was a pair, not just one. 

My Three Encounters with the Jambu Fruit Doves in Singapore

While it is not easy to spot the Jambu Fruit Doves in the forest in Southeast Asia, the chance to see them in Singapore is quite good. I had three encounters with Jambu Fruit Doves in Singapore.