Common Ground Dove (male)

Description:

Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina) - a male gleaning seeds at the base of our bird feeder. This diminutive dove is an uncommon sight for us; the usual diners at the feeder are the much larger Eurasian Collared Doves and Mourning Doves. << The Common Ground Dove is North America's smallest dove and is 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 (0.92–1.4 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 been 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 belly. Females on the other hand are more gray than their male counterparts and are more evenly coloured. ... 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 will feed from bird feeders if available to them. >>

Habitat:

Suburban: Key Largo, Florida.

Notes:

The Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina) is a small bird that inhabits the southern United States, parts of Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. The Common Ground Dove is considered to be the smallest dove that inhabits the United States. As its name suggests the bird spends the majority of its time on the ground walking but still has the ability to fly. The Common Ground Dove is North America's smallest dove and is 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 (0.92–1.4 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 been 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 belly. Females on the other hand are more gray than their male counterparts and are more evenly coloured. The Common Ground Dove is member of the genus Columbina, which are the new world ground doves. There are six other members in this genus including the Inca Dove (Columbina inca) and the Scaled Dove (Columbina squammata). The genus Columbina is in the family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which are commonly known as the pigeons and doves. It is found in the southern tip of United States, most of Mexico, parts of Central America, the Caribbean islands and the northern tip of South America. The common ground dove does not migrate and is a year long resident in the areas they are found. 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. The Common Ground Dove 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. 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 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 pull water into their mouth and swallow it with lifting their heads, which is a common feature shared with other members of its family. (credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Grou...)