In relation with the celebration of Christmas season, Botswana Post issued stamp set feature Dove bird on December 20, 2005. The species depicted are Namaqua dove, Red-eyed dove, Laughing dove, and Green Pigeon. The issue consist of 4 postage stamp with non uniform face value.
The Namaqua Dove is a tiny sparrow-sized pigeon, typically 22 cm in length with a 28–33 cm wingspan, and weighing 40g. It has a very long black tapered tail.The plumage is mostly grey apart from a white belly, and chestnut primary feathers which are visible in flight.The adult male has a black face, throat and breast, and a yellow and red beak. The adult female lacks the black and has a red-based grey bill.
The Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis) is a small pigeon. It is the only species in the genus Oena.The dove is a widespread resident breeding bird in Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar with its range extending into the Arabian Peninsula southern Israel, Jordan and as far north as Turkey.The dove is quite terrestrial, and usually forages on open ground and roadsides. The food is almost exclusively minute seeds, such as those of grasses, sedges and weeds.
