Inca Dove

Description:

The Inca Dove (Columbina inca) is a small New World dove; it might belong to the genus. It ranges from the southwestern United States and Mexico through Central America to Costa Rica; the Inca Dove only lives on the Pacific side of Central America. Despite being named after the Inca Empire, this species does not occur in any of the lands that constituted that region. Inca Doves are common to abundant within their range and they are expanding their range north and south.

Habitat:

This is a terrestrial species which occurs in flocks in open areas including scrub and cultivation. It will feed in urban areas, eating grass seeds and taking advantage of the ready availability of water from agricultural and suburban irrigation. The song, a forceful cooing rendered variously as "cowl-coo" or "POO-pup", may be given from a tree, wire, or other open, high perch such as a television aerial.

Notes:

These guys can be found at my bird feeders, bird baths and hunting for food on the ground. Though they are small, they are very capable of standing up for themselves against the larger dove. These pics are at my pondless waterfall feature that I just built but instead of filling the hole full of rock, I have enough water above the rocks to make it a large bird bath. I am hanging out during the day, just close enough to get pictures and the birds are starting to get used to me being there.