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West Peruvian Dove - BirdForum Opus

Photo © by Mariano Mavila
Lima, Peru, 21 October 2004

Alternative name: Pacific Dove

Zenaida meloda

Identification

25–33 cm (9¾-13 in)
These birds have brown-grey upperparts and grey underparts; there is a white wing patch. The adults have a bright blue eyepatch, and red legs and feet. Sexes are similar. Juveniles' colouring is lighter than adults, with no eye patch.

Similar Species

No overlap in range but White-winged Dove is similar but less vinaceous on the underparts and has a paler, lighter blue orbital ring.

Distribution

Along Pacific coast from southern Ecuador to northern Chile.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species[1]. West Peruvian Dove is closely related to the White-winged Dove from North and Central America, but has been split due to genetic and behavioral differences.

Habitat

Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Dry/Tropical Moist

Behaviour

Breeding

Lays 2 white eggs in flimsy platform nest. Nests in scattered pairs, not in colonies.

Diet

Not studied but probably seeds and fruit, similar to White-winged Dove

Vocalisations

Similar to Pale-vented Pigeon. Song is a low-pitched rhythmic monotonous cooing coo-coo-LEE from which it gets its local name, "Cuculí."

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Baptista, L.F., Trail, P.W., Horblit, H.M., Boesman, P. & Garcia, E.F.J. (2019). West Peruvian Dove (Zenaida meloda). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/54211 on 27 June 2019).
  3. Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo), The Field Museum. Downloaded from http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 6/26/2019.
  4. West Peruvian Dove (Zenaida meloda), In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. retrieved from Neotropical Birds Online: https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/Species-Account/nb/species/wepdov1

Recommended Citation

External Links

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