These birds are very quick in their movements but are reportedly easy to tame and then will be a quiet, calm bird. Some references indicate that they can only be raised in an outside flight cage, but I have heard others have been able to produce offspring by using an inside cage. These doves apparent prefer more privacy for mating and nesting than the diamonds, so some kind of vegtational cover may be helpful. Like the other doves included on this site, these birds appreciate time in the sun. Thus if their environment can include a window that provides sunlight the birds will be happier.
Most people feed cape doves the same kind of diet used for the diamond doves.
Although are reported to breed easily if seclusion is provided, sometimes problems occur if the babies fledge too quickly, end up on the cage floor and are not fed by their parents. The Cape Dove is also known as the Masked Dove, Namaqua Dove, and Long-tailed Dove. There are two recognized sub-species. Oena capensis capensis is found through-out most of the species range. Oena capensis aliena if found in Madagascar and is slightly darker and grayer.