It's primaries are brown with a greyish blue on the upperside of the wings. The bill is blackish in color and the chest is speckled with a reddish coloring. It's feet and legs are purplish red. The female has a duller mantle, which is a brownish or greyish color. The young do not have the characteristic markings on the chest and are also duller in color with brownish heads.
Older birds have a strongly washed pink coloring on the head and breast.
Pale coloured as well as albino varieties have also been found, the latter occuring in both the Luangwa and Middle Zambezi of Zambia. Laughing Doves are found throughout Africa, Arabia, and Asia Minor to India and the extreme northwest of China. They are also found in Australia. They are also found in East Africa's gallery forests and in the savannas. Laughing Doves spend much of their time on the ground walking with their heads bent downwards in a crouched attitude while taking short shuffling steps.