- Starnoenas cyanocephala
Identification
30cm
- Bright cobalt blue head
- Black stripe from mouth, through the eye, to the hindneck
- White stripe from lower bill to hindneck
- Black gorget, sides of the neck and centre of breast
- Fine white band along breast
- Blue spots across throat
- Pale pink breast
- Olive brown tinged with purple on sides, back of neck and mantle
- Buff brown belly
- Dark brown iris
- Greyish bill, dark red at base
Female: similar but paler
Juvenile: duller olive brown, buffish-brown edges to wing shields
Distribution
Endemic to Cuba where endangered (500-1850 birds).
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Open understory of moist lowland forests, swamps, and moist montanes. Seems to do well in forest on limestone base if the amount of leaf litter is limited.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes seeds, berries and snails.
Breeding
They nest on the ground, amongst tree roots or in stump cavities, the clutch consisting of 2 white eggs.
Vocalisation
Voice: A deep two-syllable "ooowup....ooowup".
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- BirdLife International
- International Dove Society
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Blue-headed Quail-Dove. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blue-headed_Quail-Dove
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
