Diamond Dove
Geopelia cuneata
Tiny gray dove with a plain neck and chest, and an obvious red eyering. This species has tiny pale spots on folded wings. The tail is quite dark, long and pointed (much longer tail than the similar Peaceful Dove). More common inland and in northern Australia, where it can be abundant in arid grassland areas.
Identification
They are small pigeons with a length of 19 to 21 centimeters or 9 to 11 inches. Regardless of sex, they have white spots and black edges on their wings, red eyes and orange eye-rings. The sexes look similar except the female's eye ring is less vivid and has more of a brown colour to the plumage. The male's head, neck, and breast are light blue-grey. The bill is a dark grey colour. The abdomen is a creamy colour while the back and tail is a brown-grey colour. The legs and feet are pink. The juveniles have a light grey bill; the iris and eye ring is fawn in colour; the feet and legs are grey; the breast is grey and does not possess any white spots on their wings.[citation needed]<p>Regardless of its astoundingly small size (weighing only about 35 g), it has a great tolerance to high heat levels due to adaptations in body temperature, metabolism, respiration, water balance, and behaviour.
Taxonomy
English ornithologist John Latham first described the diamond dove in 1801. The common name "diamond" is a reference to the white speckles on its wings.
- Scientific name
- Geopelia cuneata
- Authority
- (Latham, 1801)
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Family
- Columbidae
- Genus
- Geopelia
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Nomadic movement
Behavior
The diamond dove is often seen on the ground, where it runs with a waddling gait. Its flight is strong, direct, and sometimes undulating. The wings can make a whistling "frrr" noise when flying.<p>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.[citation needed]<p>The doves tend to breed after rain but mostly in spring in Southern Australia. Nests are usually built from interwoven grasses and/or twigs, and are fragile in construction. Two white eggs are usually laid and incubated for 13 to 14 days. Their chicks are fast to grow, and are usually fully feathered and flying by two weeks.[citation needed]<p>They are known to have a variety of calls. The calls sound mournful, slow and have a soft, pleasant falsetto quality to them. Two calls consist of two long coos followed by a pause and then a long, short and long coo. Sometimes they call two long coos. The alarm coo consists of a few short but loud coos.[citation needed]
Conservation
Diamond doves are not listed as threatened on the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Microcerculus philomela
Small, dark brown wren of humid evergreen forest in tropical lowlands and foothills; most often detected by its distinctive song. Usually stays low, on or near the forest floor in shady understory, and is difficult to see well. Note the small size, long bill, overall plain plumage, and stubby tail.
Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow
Melozone kieneri
Attractive, rather skulking large sparrow of foothills, endemic to west Mexico. Favors brushy understory of tropical woodlands, shade-coffee plantations, and brushy hedges in farmland. Mostly stays well hidden on or near the ground, but can feed in the open beside quiet roads and trails, especially in early mornings; usually in pairs. Note the rusty cap (often raised when excited), white spectacles, and extensive white bib with a dark central spot.
Cape Verde Swift
Apus alexandri
Small endemic swift of Cape Verde. Smaller and more gray-brown compared to other swifts, with prominent whitish throat patch. Note shallow forked tail. Flight faster and more fluttering than Common Swift and the closely-related Plain Swift. Calls very similar to Common Swift, but slightly higher-pitched.
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