D&P DOVE

Click on the Title to see the  Variations

 African Collard                  Bleeding Heart               Common Ground               Diamond Dove

Green Winged                  Eurasian Collard               Inca Dove                        Jambu Fruit 

     Mourning                    White Ringneck                    Spotted Dove                White Winged

Zebra Dove                 Zenaida Dove

Zenaida

 Zenaida Dove

 (Zenaida aurita)

Photographed in the wild, St. Lucia         Apr 2012

Found throughout the Caribbean, the Zenaida dove is a rather stocky dove species with a low, mournful call and its plumage is reddish to greyish-brown above and lighter pinkish-brown below, with a more cinnamon head. There is an iridescent purple patch on the side of the neck, and two dark violet-blue streaks on the side of the face, which appear black from a distance. The wings bear black spots, and the outer secondary feathers have white tips. The beak is black and the legs and feet are red. The female Zenaida dove is duller and paler than the male, with a greyer back and a smaller iridescent neck patch.

 The Zenaida dove sings with a gentle, mournful-sounding cooing, described as ‘coo-oo, coo, coo, coo’ or ‘hoo’ooo-oo oo-ooo’. Its song resembles that of the closely related mourning dove but is usually slightly more curtailed. The Zenaida dove can also be distinguished from the mourning dove by its shorter, less pointed tail, proportionately larger legs and feet, and by the white in its wings

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Zebra Dove

ZebraDove 

Geopelia striata

Photographed in the wild, Kohala Hawaii Mar 2014

Native to Southeast Asia, the zebra dove came to Hawaii from Australia in 1922 and it also referred to as a Barred Dove. The introduction of the zebra dove was probably because there was a market for game birds on the islands at that time. 

This bird is common throughout the Hawaiian Islands and Oahu is no exception. A person can see them when walking along Waikiki beach or exploring a garden. They are also a common visitor to food courts and in some areas, they are so comfortable around people they will fly up into one's hand and eat from it if a person holds still. They do love the lowland areas, so it is a bit unreasonable to expect to spot these small doves in the mountains, but they are equally common in both rural and urban areas of the island.

When nesting they will lay one or two eggs and have been known to nest up to five times a year. Courtship call is a throaty coo accompanied by head bowing and tail flaring.

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White-Winged

 White Wing Dove 

(Zenaidaasiatica)

Photographed in the wild, Tucson, AZ     Mar 2010

A mostly tropical dove, the White-winged Dove makes it into the United States in Texas and the Southwest. It is increasing its range northward and an introduced population has become established in Florida.

Although the White-winged Dove is mostly resident in the Southwest, it is expanding its range, and individuals can be found far afield. White-winged Doves have been seen from Alaska to Ontario, Maine, Newfoundland, and most places in-between.

Common and increasing its breeding range. Declined in early 20th century because of overhunting and habitat destruction, but populations rebounded. White-winged Doves are hunted in Arizona and Texas.

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White-Ringneck

Dove (Ringneck)

White Mutation

Streptopelia risoria

 Photographed in the wild, St Thomas USVI      Mar 2015

The White Dove is often thought of as a separate species but it is actually perhaps the most common color mutation of the Ringneck Dove. This bird is often confused with the domestic white homing pigeon which is used to release at special occasions (weddings, anniversaries, etc.). This bird does not have the homing instinct and should not be released.

This particular bird was photographed at Magen’s Bay in St Thomas but does not appear in any bird books of the West or East Indies. It must have been released into the wild during a special occasion.

They have a life span of up to 15 years and hopefully this guy finds a mate

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Spotted

 Spotted Dove

(Strptopelia chinensis)

Photographed in the wild, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii          Mar 2014

Also known as the Mountain Dove, Lace-necked Dove or Chinese Dove, it's been cooing in Hawaii since the mid-1800's and introduced from Asia as a hunting bird.

This dove is much larger than the zebra dove but definitely not as tolerant of humans. Their strong markings separate it from the Zebra dove with a head that is pale, pinkish to greyish along with a black patch finely spotted with white on the rear neck, between nape and upper back. Rarely found in large flocks as are the other doves but mixes with others for scraps in food courts.

Pigeons and doves have some special feathers on their bodies, which disintegrate for producing a kind of powder, used for cleaning and lubricate the other feathers. These species have not well-developed oil glands.

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Mourning

Mourning Dove

(Zenaidamacroura)

Photographed in

Naples, FL       Mar 2007

Tucson, AZ     Apr 2010

Abundant and widespread, the Mourning Dove is well known throughout most of North America and mate for life, if one dies the other lives alone forever, thereafter.

Its mournful call is heard from deserts to forest edges, from farmlands to inner cities. Male and female mourning doves look similar with greyish-brown backs, buff-coloured undersides, black spots on the wings and behind the eye, and white feathers in the tail, which show during flight.

Juveniles can be distinguished from adults by light buffing on the tips of the primary feathers, which persist until the first moult. By the age of 3 months, it is difficult for the casual observer to distinguish the difference between young and adult doves.

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Jambu Fruit Dove

Jambu Fruit Dove

 Ptilinopusjambu

Photographed at Discovery Cove, Orlando, FL             Mar 2011

The Jambu Fruit Dove inhabits mangrove swamps and lowland rain forests in Asia. This Dove is a shy and inconspicuous bird, camouflaged against the forest canopy by its green plumage.

The adult male has a crimson face with a black chin, unmarked green upperparts and white under parts, with a pink patch on the breast and a chocolate brown under tail. The female differs from the male in that she has a dull purple face with a dark chin

The male holds a breeding territory, advertised by raising its wings, bobbing its body and cooing. It will defend its territory with a quick peck if the territorial display fails. The female builds a flimsy nest of twigs, roots and grasses, which are collected by her mate, in a tree and lays one or sometimes two white eggs which are incubated for about 20 days to hatching, with a further 12 or more days to fledging.

  

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Inca Dove

Inca Dove

 ColumbinaInca

Photographed at Desert Museum, AZ        Apr 2010

A small tropical dove of arid areas, the Inca Dove has become a common resident of urban areas of the Southwest. It has expanded its breeding range northward and southward, but has remained attracted to towns and cities.

The Inca Dove engages in an odd behaviour, known as "pyramid roosting." Pairs or groups of Inca Doves may huddle together in the sunshine, with some sitting on the back of the others. The pyramid may be three layers high and include up to 12 birds.

Because they fly directly to water, with no searching about, early west Texas travelers would often watch doves to locate water holes

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Green Winged

Green Winged Dove

Chalcophapsindica

Photographed at

Disney Animal Kingdom, Orlando, FL      Mar 2011

The Green-winged Pigeon is a small brown pigeon with green wings. The male has a white patch on shoulder.

A pigeon which is a widespread resident breeding bird in tropical southern Asia This is a common species in rainforest and similar dense wet woodlands, farms, gardens, mangroves and coastal heaths.

It builds a scant stick nest in a tree up to five meters and lays two cream-coloured eggs. Breeding tends to occur in Australia spring or early summer in southeastern Australia and late in the dry season in northern Australia.

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Eurasian Collard

Eurasian Collared Dove

 (Streptopeliadecaocto)

Photographed in the wild,

Cape Coral, FL       Apr 2006

Naples, FL              Aug 2008

Introduced into the Bahamas in the mid-1970s, the Eurasian Collared-Dove is now established throughout the south-eastern United States and has been seen across the continent. It has spread across North America and is still an evolving story. The extent of its final range and the impact it will have on other bird species remains to be seen.

This is a small dove, buff grey with a darker back and a blue-grey wing patch. The tail feathers are tipped white. It has a black half-collar on its nape from which it gets its name. The short legs are red and the bill is black. The eye is reddish/brown. From a distance, the eyes appear to be black, as the pupil is relatively large and only a narrow rim of reddish-brown eye colour can be seen around the black pupil

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Diamond Dove

Dove (Diamond)

 (Geopelia cuneata)

Photographed at Bird Kingdom, Niagara Canada   Feb 2012

The Diamond Dove is a resident in Central, West and Northern Australia predominantly in areas near water. They have been spotted occasionally in Southern Australia in parks and gardens when the centre of Australia is very dry.

They are one of Australia's smallest pigeons along with the Peaceful Dove. Diamond doves tend to be seen in pairs or small groups feeding off the ground. They feed off seed mostly from grasses. They will also eat ants.

The doves tend to breed after rain but mostly in spring in Southern Australia. nests are usually built from interwoven grasses and/or twig. They are of fragile construction. Two white eggs are usually laid and incubated for 13 to 14 days. Chicks are usually fully feathered and flying by two weeks.

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Common Ground

Common Ground Dove

 Columbina passerina

Photographed in the wild

 Marco Island, FL     Mar 2012

Jamaica at Runaway Bay      Aug 2013

The Common Ground-Dove is barely larger than a sparrow and is North America's smallest dove. It is a fast flyer with rapid, short, wing beats; similar to that of a quail. When it walks, it bobs its head like a pigeon. The Common Ground-Dove forages on the ground for seeds, small berries, and occasionally insects. Although this bird may be found in small groups, it's more typically found in pairs.

The nest is a shallow platform of sticks and grass. It is typically built in a low shrub, cactus, palm, or occasionally on the ground. Parents feed the nestling’s regurgitated food, called "pigeon milk".

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Bleeding Heart

 Bleeding Heart Dove

 (Gallicolumbaluzonica)

Photographed at Reid Zoo, Tucson, AZ.      Mar 2010

One look at the striking red patch on this dove's breast, that resembles a deep bleeding wound, you can see how the species get its name.

This shy bird spends most of its time on the forest floor searching for seeds, berries, insects and other invertebrates. When disturbed, it usually flies only a short distance, lands, and then finishes its escape on foot.

The bleeding-heart dove builds its nest three or more feet off the ground. Both the male and female take turns sitting on the eggs.

They only live in the tropical rain forests in the Philippines and are held in captivity in various zoos around the world at present to prevent their extinction.

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African Collared

African Collared Dove

(Streptopelia roseogrisea) 

Photographed at Bird Kingdom, Niagara Canada           Feb 2012

The African Collared-Dove is very rarely seen as a wild bird in North America, and it is very difficult to distinguish from the Eurasian Collared-Dove.

Birds that are seen are often escaped pets and are often called Ringed Turtle-Doves, a form of African Collared-Dove that has been domesticated for centuries. These birds frequently escape from captivity, and feral populations have become established in some cities in the southern United States.

  

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