Columbidae
Họ Bồ câu

General names

The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Thai names are currently being revised. Comments and corrections are welcome.

Note on Vietnamese naming: With the exception of ducks and chickens, it is normal for Vietnamese bird names to include the word Chim meaning 'bird', even where not indicated in the tables. All bird and animal names can be preceded by the classifier con, which is used for living creatures.

Apart from the domesticated pigeon (Rock Pigeon), a variety of wild pigeons and doves is found in Vietnam and the language is relatively rich in names for them.

The domesticated pigeon is usually known as Chim bồ câu or Chim câu.

Chim cu is a term used for pigeons in general. (In some Central dialects this is reduplicated as Chim cu cu, which in standard usage refers to cuckoos.) Cu may be used in combination with other names (for examples, see below).

Chim gầm ghì or Cu gầm ghì is used for Cuckoo Doves and Imperial Doves.

Chim chàng vịt is also given in dictionaries for 'pigeon' or 'dove'.

Turtle Doves have a number of individual names:

The Oriental Turtle Dove (Streptopelia orientalis) is known as the Chim sen (possibly meaning 'lotus bird'), Chim cu sen, Chim cu đất ('ground pigeon'), or Cu cu đất ('ground pigeon', dialect).

The Spotted-necked Dove (Streptopelia chinensis) is known as the Chim gáy, Chim cu gáy, Chim cu gấm ('spotted pigeon'), or Chim cu cườm ('beaded pigeon').

The Red Turtle Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica) is known as the Chim ngói, Chim cu ngói, or Chim cu lửa ('flame pigeon', dialect).

Naturalists assign names to columbid genera as follows:

Vietnamese name	Genera
Bồ câu	Pale-capped Pigeon (Columba punicea) Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas)
Gầm ghì	Rock Dove (Columba livia) Cuckoo Doves (Macropygia) Imperial Pigeons (Ducula)
Cu	Turtle Doves (Streptopelia) Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps)
Cu xanh 'blue/green cu'	Green Pigeons (Treron)

Despite the familiar use of Chim bồ câu to refer to the Rock Dove, and the fact that Bồ câu gives its name to the family, somewhat surprisingly naturalists use the name Bồ câu for Columba punicea but not for Columba livia (Rock Dove).

The carrier pigeon is known in Vietnamese as: Bồ câu đưa thư ('deliver message pigeon').

Chữ Nôm

Characters used for columbids in the now obsolete Chữ Nôm characters include:

Name	Chữ Nôm Images from the Vietnamese Nôm Preservation Foundation dictionary. (Errors are the sole responsibility of the author of this site)
Bồ câu	; ; and other combinations of these characters

Species names

COLUMBINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Japanese Thai Malay Indonesian Columba                 Columba livia Rock dove or Common pigeon Feral rock pigeon Rock pigeon Feral pigeon Pigeon biset Gầm ghì đá 'rock gam ghi' Bồ câu 'bo cau' Chim câu 'cau bird' 原鸽 yuán gē 'primitive/original pigeon' Taiwan: 野鴿 yě gē 'wild pigeon' (introduced) カワラバト (河原鳩) kawara-bato 'dry riverbed pigeon' นกพิราบป่า nók pʰí-râap pàa 'forest pigeon (bird)' = 'wild pigeon (bird)' Burung Pergam Batu 'stone pergam bird' Burung Merpati 'pigeon bird' Burung Merpati Batu 'stone pigeon' Columba punicea Pale-capped pigeon Purple wood pigeon Pigeon marron Bồ câu nâu 'brown bo cau'   紫林鸽 zǐ lín-gē 'purple forest pigeon' ムラサキモリバト (紫森鳩) murasaki mori-bato 'purple forest pigeon' นกลุมพูแดง nók lum-pʰuu daeeŋ 'red pigeon (bird)'     Streptopelia                 Streptopelia orientalis Oriental turtle dove Oriental turtle-dove Eastern turtle dove Rufous turtle-dove Tourterelle orientale Cu sen 'sen pigeon' Sen 'sen' Cu đất 'ground pigeon' Cu cu đất 'ground pigeon' 山斑鸠 shān bān-jiū 'mountain striped dove' Taiwan: 金背鳩 jīn-bèi jiū 'golden-backed dove' キジバト (雉鳩) kiji-bato 'pheasant pigeon' นกเขาพม่า nók kʰăw pʰa-mâa 'Burmese dove (bird)'     Streptopelia tranquebarica Oenopopelia tranquebarica Red turtle dove Red collared-dove Red collared dove Red-collared dove Red turtle-dove Tourterelle à tête grise Cu ngói 'ngoi pigeon' Chim ngói 'ngoi bird' Cu lửa 'flame pigeon' (North) 火斑鸠 huǒ bān-jiū 'fire striped dove' Taiwan: 紅鳩 hóng jiū 'red dove' ベニバト (紅鳩) beni-bato 'red pigeon' นกเขาไฟ nók kʰăw fay 'fire dove (bird)' Burung Tekukur Merah 'red dove bird' Burung Dederuk Merah 'red dederuk' Streptopelia chinensis Spotted-necked dove Spotted dove Spot-necked dove Spotted turtle dove Tourterelle tigrine Cu gáy 'gay (warbling, calling?) pigeon' Chim gáy 'gay bird' Cu gấm 'spotted pigeon' Cu cườm 'beaded pigeon' 珠颈斑鸠 zhū-jǐng bān-jiū 'bead-necked striped dove' Taiwan: 珠頸斑鳩 zhū-jǐng bān-jiū 'bead-necked striped dove' Former Taiwan: 斑頸鳩 bān-jǐng jiū 'striped/spotted necked dove' カノコバト (鹿の子鳩) kanoko-bato 'fawn pigeon' (named after fawn-like spots) นกเขาใหญ่ nók kʰăw yày 'large dove (bird)' or นกเขาหลวง nók kʰăw lŭaŋ 'royal dove (bird)' Burung Merbok Balam 'balam merbok bird' Burung Tekukur 'dove bird' Burung Tekukur Biasa 'common dove' Macropygia                 Macropygia unchall Barred cuckoo-dove Bar-tailed cuckoo dove Phasianelle onchall Gầm ghì vằn 'speckled/streaked gam ghi'   斑尾鹃鸠 bān-wěi juān-jiū 'stripe-tailed cuckoo dove' Taiwan: 斑尾鵑鳩 bān-wěi juān-jiū 'stripe-tailed cuckoo dove' ヨコジマオナガバト (横縞尾長鳩) yoko-jima o-naga bato 'horizontal stripe long-tailed pigeon' นกเขาลายใหญ่ nók kʰăw laay yày 'large striped dove (bird)' Burung Tekukur Api Gunung 'mountain fire dove bird' Burung Uncal Loreng 'camouflaged uncal' Macropygia ruficeps Little cuckoo-dove Little cuckoo dove Lesser cuckoo dove Lesser red cuckoo dove Phasianelle à tête rousse Gầm ghì đầu hung 'reddish-headed gam ghi'   小鹃鸠 xiǎo juān-jiū 'small cuckoo dove' (2) 棕头鹃鸠 zōng-tóu juān-jiū 'reddish-brown-headed cuckoo dove' (1, 3) 小赤鹃鸠 xiǎo chì juān-jiū 'small red cuckoo dove' (4) 棕头小鹃鸠 zōng-tóu xiǎo juān-jiū 'reddish-brown-headed small cuckoo dove' (5) ヒメオナガバト (姫尾長鳩) hime o-naga bato 'princess long-tailed pigeon' นกเขาลายเล็ก nók kʰăw laay lék 'small striped dove (bird)' Burung Tekukur Api 'fire dove bird' Uncal Kouran 'kouran uncal' Chalcophaps                 Chalcophaps indica Emerald dove Colombine turvert Cu luồng 'luong pigeon'   绿翅金鸠 lǜ-chì jīn-jiū 'green-winged golden dove' Taiwan: 翠翼鳩 cuì-yì-jiū 'jade-winged dove' キンバト (金鳩) kin-bato 'golden pigeon' นกเขาเขียว nók kʰăw kʰĭaw 'green dove (bird)' Burung Punai Tanah 'land pigeon bird' Delimukan Zamrud 'emerald delimukan' Caloenas                 Caloenas nicobarica Nicobar pigeon Vulturine pigeon Nicobar à camail Bồ câu Nicoba 'Nicobar bo cau'   尼柯巴鸠 Nìkēbā jiū 'Nicobar dove' (4) 尼科巴鸠 Nìkēbā jiū 'Nicobar dove' (5) ミノバト (蓑鳩) mino-bato 'straw coat pigeon' นกชาปีไหน nók-cʰaa-pii-năy 'cʰaa-pii-năy bird' Burung Punai Mas 'golden pigeon bird' Burung Punai Emas 'golden pigeon bird' Junai Emas 'golden junai' Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Japanese Thai Malay Indonesian

TRERONINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Japanese Thai Malay Indonesian Treron                 Treron fulvicollis Cinnamon-headed green pigeon Cinnamon-headed green-pigeon Colombar à cou roux Cu xanh cổ nâu 'brown-necked blue/green pigeon'   棕头绿鸠 zōng-tóu lǜ-jiū 'reddish-headed green dove' ニッケイアオバト (肉桂青鳩) nikkei ao-bato 'cinnamon blue/green pigeon' นกเปล้าแดง nók plâw daeeŋ 'red greenpigeon (bird)' Burung Punai Bakau 'mangrove pigeon bird' Punai Bakau 'mangrove pigeon' Treron vernans Pink-necked green pigeon Pink-necked green-pigeon Colombar giouanne Cu xanh đầu xám 'grey-headed blue/green pigeon'   红颈绿鸠 hóng-jǐng lǜ-jiū 'red-necked green dove' コアオバト (小青鳩) ko ao-bato 'small blue/green pigeon' นกเปล้าคอสีม่วง nók plâw kʰoaa-sĭi-mûaŋ 'purple-necked greenpigeon (bird)' Burung Punai Gading 'ivory pigeon bird' Punai Gading 'ivory pigeon' Treron bicinctus Treron bicincta Orange-breasted green pigeon Orange-breasted green-pigeon Colombar à double collier Cu xanh khoang cổ 'collared spotted blue/green pigeon'   橙胸绿鸠 chéng-xiōng lǜ-jiū 'orange-breasted green dove' Taiwan: 橙胸綠鳩 chéng-xiōng lǜ-jiū 'orange-breasted green dove' ムネアカアオバト (胸赤青鳩) mune-aka ao-bato 'red-breasted blue/green pigeon' นกเปล้าอกสีม่วงน้ำตาล nók plâw òk-sĭi-mûaŋ nám-taan 'brown purple-breasted greenpigeon (bird)' Burung Punai Siam 'Siamese pigeon bird' Punai Siam 'Siamese pigeon' Treron pompadora Pompadour green pigeon Pompadour green-pigeon Ashy-headed green pigeon Colombar pompadour Cu xanh đuôi đen 'black-tailed blue/green pigeon'   灰头绿鸠 huī-tóu lǜ-jiū 'grey-headed green dove' ハイビタイアオバト (灰額青鳩) hai-bitai ao-bato 'grey-browed blue/green pigeon' นกเปล้าหน้าเหลือง nók plâw nâa-lĕuaŋ 'yellow-faced greenpigeon (bird)' Note   Punai Pomadora 'Pomadora pigeon' Treron curvirostra Thick-billed green pigeon Thick-billed green-pigeon Thick-billed pigeon Colombar à gros bec Cu xanh mỏ quặp 'curve-billed blue/green pigeon' Cu xanh 'blue/green pigeon' Cu kỳ 'flag pigeon?' 厚嘴绿鸠 hòu-zuǐ lǜ-jiū 'thick-billed green dove' ハシブトアオバト (嘴太青鳩) hashi-buto ao-bato 'thick-billed blue/green pigeon' นกเขาเปล้า nók kʰăw-plâw 'greenpigeon dove (bird)' Burung Punai Lengguak 'lengguak pigeon bird' Burung Punai Daun 'leaf pigeon bird' Punai Lengguak 'lengguak pigeon' Treron phoenicopterus Treron phoenicoptera Yellow-legged green pigeon Yellow-footed green-pigeon Colombar commandeur Cu xanh chân vàng 'golden-legged blue/green pigeon'   黄脚绿鸠 huáng-jiǎo lǜ-jiū 'yellow-legged green dove' キアシアオバト (黄足青鳩) ki-ashi ao-bato 'yellow-legged blue/green pigeon' นกเปล้าขาเหลือง nók plâw kʰăa-lĕuaŋ 'yellow-legged greenpigeon (bird)'     Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Japanese Thai Malay Indonesian Treron apicauda Pin-tailed green pigeon Pin-tailed green-pigeon Colombar à longue queue Cu xanh đuôi nhọn 'sharp-tailed blue/green pigeon'   针尾绿鸠 zhēn-wěi lǜ-jiū 'needle-tailed green dove' ハリオアオバト (針尾青鳩) hari-o ao-bato 'needle-tailed blue/green pigeon' นกเปล้าหางเข็ม nók plâw hăaŋ-kʰĕm 'needle-tailed greenpigeon (bird)'     Treron seimundi Yellow-vented green pigeon Yellow-vented green-pigeon Yellow-vented pin-tailed pigeon Yellow-vented pin-tailed green pigeon Colombar de Seimund Cu xanh Seimun 'Seimun blue/green pigeon'   白腹针尾绿鸠 bái-fù zhēn-wěi lǜ-jiū 'white-bellied needle-tailed green dove' シロハラハリオアオバト (白腹針尾青鳩) shiro-hara hari-o ao-bato 'white-bellied needle-tailed blue/green dove' นกเปล้าหางเข็มหัวปีกแดง nók plâw hăaŋ-kʰĕm hŭa-pìik-daeeŋ 'red-winged and -headed needle-tailed greenpigeon (bird)' Burung Punai Gunung 'mountain pigeon bird'   Treron sphenurus Treron sphenura Wedge-tailed green pigeon Wedge-tailed green-pigeon Colombar chanteur Cu xanh sáo 'starling blue/green pigeon'   楔尾绿鸠 xiē-wěi lǜ-jiū 'wedge-tailed green dove' オナガアオバト (尾長青鳩) o-naga ao-bato 'long-tailed blue/green pigeon' นกเปล้าหางพลั่ว nók plâw hăaŋ-pʰlûa 'shovel-tailed greenpigeon (bird)' Burung Punai Bukit 'hill pigeon bird' Punai Gagak 'crow pigeon' Treron sieboldii White-bellied green pigeon White-bellied green-pigeon Japanese green pigeon Siebold's green pigeon White-bellied wedge-tailed green pigeon Colombar de Siebold Cu xanh bụng trắng 'white-bellied blue/green pigeon'   红翅绿鸠 hóng-chì lǜ-jiū 'red-winged green dove' Taiwan: 綠鳩 lǜ-jiū 'green dove' アオバト (青鳩) ao-bato 'blue/green pigeon' นกเปล้าท้องขาว nók plâw tʰóaaŋ-kʰăaw 'white-bellied greenpigeon (bird)'     Ducula                 Ducula aenea Green imperial pigeon Green imperial-pigeon Carpophage pauline Gầm ghì lưng xanh 'blue/green-backed gam ghi'   绿皇鸠 lǜ huáng-jiū 'green emperor dove' ミカドバト (帝鳩) mikado-bato 'emperor pigeon' นกลุมพู nók lum-pʰuu 'pigeon (bird)' Burung Pergam Besar 'large pergam bird' Burung Punai Pergam 'pergam pigeon bird' Pergam Hijau 'green pergam' Ducula badia Mountain imperial pigeon Mountain imperial-pigeon Imperial pigeon Carpophage à manteau brun Gầm ghì lưng nâu 'brown-backed gam ghi'   皇鸠 huáng-jiū 'emperor dove' (2, 4) 山皇鸠 shān huáng-jiū 'mountain emperor dove' (1, 3, 5) ヤマミカドバト (山帝鳩) yama mikado bato 'mountain emperor pigeon' นกมูม nók muum 'muum bird' (onomat.) Burung Pergam Gunung 'mountain pergam bird' Pergam Gunung 'mountain pergam' Ducula bicolor Pied imperial pigeon Pied imperial-pigeon Carpophage blanc Gầm ghì trắng 'white gam ghi'   斑皇鸠 bān huáng-jiū 'striped/spotted emperor dove' ソデグロバト (袖黒鳩) sode-guro bato 'black-sleeved pigeon' นกลุมพูขาว nók lum-pʰuu kʰăaw 'white pigeon (bird)' Burung Pergam Rawa 'marsh pergam bird' Burung Rawa 'rawa (swamp?) bird' Pergam Laut 'sea pergam' Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Japanese Thai Malay Indonesian