Grey-headed Dove
Encyclopedia
The Grey-headed Dove is a large New World
tropical dove
. It is a resident breeder from eastern Mexico
to western Panama
. It was formerly considered conspecific with the Grey-fronted Dove
, L. rufaxilla, of South America
and the Grenada Dove
, L. wellsi, of Grenada
.
The Grey-headed Dove inhabits the understory of forests, old second growth, scrubby woodland and cacao plantations. It builds a stick nest in a tree and lays two white egg
s. Incubation is about 14 days, and fledging another 15.
They Grey-headed Dove is 25cm long and weighs 155g. the adult has a grey crown and neck, the latter showing purple iridescence. It has a whitish forehead and throat. The upperparts and wings are olive-brown, and the underparts are pinkish shading to white on the belly. The tail is broadly tipped with white. The bill is black and the legs red. Young birds lack the grey on the head and have buff edges to the feathers of the back.
The Grey-headed Dove is usually seen singly or in pairs. It forages on the ground for fruit, seeds and grit. Its flight is fast and direct, with the regular beats and clattering of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general.
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
tropical dove
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
. It is a resident breeder from eastern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to western Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. It was formerly considered conspecific with the Grey-fronted Dove
Grey-fronted Dove
The Grey-fronted Dove, is a large New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder in South America from Colombia, Venezuela and the Guyanas south to northeast Argentina and Uruguay. Several subspecies exist, among them L. r...
, L. rufaxilla, of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and the Grenada Dove
Grenada Dove
The Grenada Dove is a medium-sized New World tropical dove. It is endemic to the island of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. Originally known as the Pea Dove or Well's Dove, it is the National Bird of Grenada...
, L. wellsi, of Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
.
The Grey-headed Dove inhabits the understory of forests, old second growth, scrubby woodland and cacao plantations. It builds a stick nest in a tree and lays two white egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
s. Incubation is about 14 days, and fledging another 15.
They Grey-headed Dove is 25cm long and weighs 155g. the adult has a grey crown and neck, the latter showing purple iridescence. It has a whitish forehead and throat. The upperparts and wings are olive-brown, and the underparts are pinkish shading to white on the belly. The tail is broadly tipped with white. The bill is black and the legs red. Young birds lack the grey on the head and have buff edges to the feathers of the back.
The Grey-headed Dove is usually seen singly or in pairs. It forages on the ground for fruit, seeds and grit. Its flight is fast and direct, with the regular beats and clattering of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general.