Common Ground Dove

Identification

The common ground dove is North America's smallest and one of the world's smallest by mass. This species ranges from 15–18 cm (5.9–7.1 in) in length, spans 27 cm (11 in) across the wings, and weighs 26–40 g (0.92–1.41 oz). The common ground dove has a yellow beak with a black tip. Feathers surrounding the beak are pink in colour. The feathers on the head and the upper breast have a scale-like appearance. The tail feathers are very short and similar colour to the back. The plumage on the back of the bird is brown. The coverts and wing feathers are also brown but have black spotting on them. The common ground dove has chestnut primaries and wing borders, which can only be seen when the bird is flying. The common ground dove shows some sexual dimorphism in their plumage. The males have slate-gray feathers on the top of their heads and pink-gray colouration on their bellies. Females, on the other hand, are grayer than their male counterparts and are more evenly coloured.<p>The common ground dove's call can be described as soft whoops that increase in pitch. Often the call is heard in repetition and is quite distinct. To hear the call of the common ground dove, see the external links for a link to a website.

Taxonomy

The common ground dove was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758, in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. He placed it with all the other pigeons in the genus Columba and coined the binomial name Columba passerina. The specific name passerina is from the Latin passerinus meaning "sparrow-like". The species is now placed with other New World ground-doves in the genus Columbina that was introduced in 1825, by the German naturalist Johann Baptist von Spix. There are nine species in this genus including the Inca dove (Columbina inca) and the scaled dove (Columbina squammata).<p>There are 17 recognised subspecies:

Scientific name

Columbina passerina

Authority

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Order

Columbiformes

Family

Columbidae

Genus

Columbina

Range and habitat

It is found in the southern tip of the United States, most of Mexico, parts of Central America, the Caribbean islands and northwestern South America. The common ground dove does not migrate and is a year-long resident in the areas they are found.<p>The common ground dove lives in open areas that have trees and bushes. They are also found in forests with sandy areas, farmlands, and savannahs and near human infrastructure. Common ground doves seem to hold territories but they are rarely aggressive when dealing with intruders.

Migration

Resident species

Behavior

The common ground dove is a ground gleaner; as such it forages on the ground feeding on vegetation, seeds and fruits. It can also feed on insects and snails (including the shells), and will feed from bird feeders if available to them. They often eat while they are still moving and searching for other food items. Common ground doves can suck water into their beak and swallow it by lifting their heads, which is a common feature shared with other members of its family.<p>The common ground dove mates with its partner for life. They build nests on the ground in vegetation or sometimes slightly off the ground in bushes. Their nests are quite simple, usually just a slight groove in the ground surrounded with plant material in a simple manner. The nests in bushes often are a simple structure of twigs and vegetation that are often fragile. They can become sexually active within 79 days after hatching. Nesting can occur between February and October; however, the peak of nesting occurs between early April and mid May. They can have 2–3 broods in any given year. On average, two white eggs are laid that are incubated by both parents for 12–14 days. The hatchlings are altricial at birth and covered in a small amount of gray down feathers. The young birds can fledge in 11 days. Both parents feed the young birds until they are ready to feed themselves.

Conservation

Population trend

stable