- Zenaida asiatica
Identification
In flight is mostly brown with dark flight feathers and a very conspicuous patch of white that encompasses the outer lesser coverts as well as the greater coverts on the upper wing; the tail also shows some white near the tip of the tail feathers. The white on the wing can often be seen along the lower edge of the folded wing. Legs are red and the bill black. In the head there is a black mark along the lower edge of the auriculars, red eye surrounded by blue, and the crown has a purple sheen that is repeated if less strongly on the neck.
Distribution
White-winged Dove is found from California to Texas through Central America to Panama and additionally in the Caribbean east to the Lesser Antilles. Range is expanding both northwards and eastwards.
Taxonomy
White-winged Dove is divided into three subspecies; previously, Pacific Dove ( Zenaida meloda ) was considered conspecific with White-winged Dove. The subspecies are mearnsi, asiatica, and australis. The first two subspecies has both expanded their range into the same area of northern Texas and this has lead to mixing of the two.
Habitat
Mostly seen in open areas at the edges of scrub, often in association with human habitation.
Behaviour
This species is able to perform long distance excursions as a single bird, but in areas where the species is more common, it is often seen flying around in flocks.
References
- Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
- PRUETT, C.L., S.E. HENKE, S.M. TANKSLEY, M.F. SMALL, K.M. HOGAN, AND J. ROBERSON. 2000. Mitochondrial DNA and morphological variation of White-Winged Doves in Texas. The Condor 102:871-880.
