Grey-fronted Dove
Encyclopedia
The Grey-fronted Dove, (Leptotila rufaxilla) 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. hellmayrii from Trinidad
and the Paria Peninsula
in Venezuela
.
The Grey-headed Dove
, Leptotila plumbeiceps, of Central America
and the Grenada Dove
, L. wellsi, of Grenada
were formerly considered conspecific with Grey-fronted Dove.
The Grey-fronted Dove inhabits humid forest and woodland. It builds a large stick nest in a bush or on a stump and lays two white egg
s.
The Grey-fronted Dove is very similar to the closely related White-tipped Dove
, Leptotila verreauxi, which, in the area of overlap, prefers more open, drier, woodland.
It has an approximate length of 28 cm (11 in) and a weight of 155 g (5½ oz). Adult have a blue-grey crown, a whitish forehead and a grey neck showing purple iridescence. They have a whitish throat and the eye-ring is red. The upperparts and wings are grey-brown, and the underparts are whitish shading to pinkish-buff
on the chest. The underwing coverts are rufous. The white tip to the tail is narrower than in the White-tipped Dove. The bill is black, the legs red and the iris
is yellow. L. r. hellmayrii has a paler forehead and darker, more rufous, breast.
It is best distinguished from the White-tipped Dove by the buffier lower face and the more contrasting, bluish-grey crown. Another feature is the red (not blue) eye-ring of the Grey-fronted Dove, but this is not reliable in all parts of Brazil
, Argentina, Bolivia
, Paraguay
and Uruguay, where it typically is red in both.
The Grey-fronted Dove is usually seen singly or in pairs, and is rather wary. Its flight is fast and direct, with the regular beats and clattering of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general.
The food of this species is mainly seeds obtained by foraging on the ground, but it will also take insect
s. The call is a deep hollow ooo-wooooo-ou.
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 in 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...
from Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and the Guyanas
Guyanas
Guyana is a country in South America.Guyana, Guayana, or Guiana may also refer to:*Guayana Esequiba, the territory of Guyana claimed by Venezuela*Guayana Region, an administrative region of Venezuela...
south to northeast Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. Several subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
exist, among them L. r. hellmayrii from Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
and the Paria Peninsula
Paria Peninsula
Paria Peninsula is a large peninsula in Sucre State, northern Venezuela. It separates the Gulf of Paria and Caribbean Sea. Península de Paria National Park is located on the peninsula...
in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
The Grey-headed Dove
Grey-headed Dove
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...
, Leptotila plumbeiceps, of Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
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...
were formerly considered conspecific with Grey-fronted Dove.
The Grey-fronted Dove inhabits humid forest and woodland. It builds a large stick nest in a bush or on a stump 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.
The Grey-fronted Dove is very similar to the closely related White-tipped Dove
White-tipped Dove
The White-tipped Dove is a large New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from the southernmost Texas in the USA through Mexico and Central America south to western Peru and central Argentina. It also breeds on the offshore islands of northern South America, including Trinidad and Tobago...
, Leptotila verreauxi, which, in the area of overlap, prefers more open, drier, woodland.
It has an approximate length of 28 cm (11 in) and a weight of 155 g (5½ oz). Adult have a blue-grey crown, a whitish forehead and a grey neck showing purple iridescence. They have a whitish throat and the eye-ring is red. The upperparts and wings are grey-brown, and the underparts are whitish shading to pinkish-buff
Buff (colour)
Buff is a pale yellow-brown colour that got its name from the colour of buff leather.Displayed on the right is the colour buff.EtymologyAccording to the Oxford English Dictionary, buff as a descriptor of a colour was first used in the London Gazette of 1686, describing a uniform to be "A Red Coat...
on the chest. The underwing coverts are rufous. The white tip to the tail is narrower than in the White-tipped Dove. The bill is black, the legs red and the iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
is yellow. L. r. hellmayrii has a paler forehead and darker, more rufous, breast.
It is best distinguished from the White-tipped Dove by the buffier lower face and the more contrasting, bluish-grey crown. Another feature is the red (not blue) eye-ring of the Grey-fronted Dove, but this is not reliable in all parts of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Argentina, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
and Uruguay, where it typically is red in both.
The Grey-fronted Dove is usually seen singly or in pairs, and is rather wary. Its flight is fast and direct, with the regular beats and clattering of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general.
The food of this species is mainly seeds obtained by foraging on the ground, but it will also take insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s. The call is a deep hollow ooo-wooooo-ou.
External links
- Grey-fronted Dove videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Stamps (for SurinameSurinameSuriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
) with RangeMap - "Gray-fronted Dove" photo gallery VIREO Photo-High Res
- Photo-High Res; Article terrabrasil
- Photo-Medium Res; Article, Map & synopsis www1.nhl.nl—Doves in Suriname
