Like all doves they depend on surface water. They congregate in large flocks at waterholes in dry regions to drink and bathe.Tthey are preyed on by lanner falcons and black sparrowhawks respectively. In addition they are preyed on by reptiles, wild cats, jackals, genets, herons, storks, eagles and barn owls. Nests are vulnerable to birds, snakes and locally, grey squirrel.They feed mainly on seeds (of grasses, cereal grains, lupins, milkweeds, but also on broken fruit and berries