WHITE-WINGED DOVE
WHITE-WINGED DOVE (Zenaida asiatica) – (See images below)
DESCRIPTION: The White-winged Dove adult is light brown-grey with a white crescent in the middle of the wing, and a white tail band. Eyes are red with a light blue eye ring. Slightly down curved bill is grey, legs and feet are pink. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has browner plumage and brown eyes. Bird length is around 11 inches (29 cm).
VOICE: https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Zenaida-asiatica
NAME: ‘Dove’ means ‘to dive’, in reference to the bird’s irregular flight. Latin genus name ‘Zenaida’ was given to honor Zenaide, the wife of French ornithologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte. Latin species name ‘asiatica’ means ‘asian’. This name was given by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in error, believing the specimen he received was from India, while it was from Jamaica in the West Indies (Choate)
HABITAT: Semi-open country such as brushland, desert, towns.
DIET: Seeds, grain, berries, also cactus flower nectar.
NESTING: Nest is built in a tree, shrub or cactus. Two or three light beige eggs are laid, incubated by both parents. Chicks fed ‘pigeon milk’.
DISTRIBUTION: Breeds along each side of USA southern border. Year-round resident in Mexico and the Caribbean. Wintering areas include southeast coast of USA along Gulf of Mexico and southern Mexico.
Distribution Map: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-winged_dove – /media/File:Zenaida_asiatica_map.svg
ON PEI: Does not breed on Prince Edward Island, sightings listed as ‘accidental’ so far. See note below on bird vagrancy.
CONSERVATION: Population expanding its range northward, not at risk.
Vagrancy: In biology this means an animal going way outside its normal range. For birds, this can happen when there are storms and they get blown off course. On other times, the bird simply wanders in a different direction than usual. Here’s an article about vagrancy in birds.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Mourning Dove
REFERENCES: http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/267/overview/White-winged_Dove.aspx http://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=ABNPB04010 (Montana Field Guide)
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/white-winged-dove
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Zenaida_asiatica/ (University of Michigan)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-winged_dove
https://txtbba.tamu.edu/species-accounts/white-winged-dove/ (Texas Breeding Bird Atlas)
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-winged_Dove/id#
DESCRIPTION: The White-winged Dove adult is light brown-grey with a white crescent in the middle of the wing, and a white tail band. Eyes are red with a light blue eye ring. Slightly down curved bill is grey, legs and feet are pink. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has browner plumage and brown eyes. Bird length is around 11 inches (29 cm).
VOICE: https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Zenaida-asiatica
NAME: ‘Dove’ means ‘to dive’, in reference to the bird’s irregular flight. Latin genus name ‘Zenaida’ was given to honor Zenaide, the wife of French ornithologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte. Latin species name ‘asiatica’ means ‘asian’. This name was given by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in error, believing the specimen he received was from India, while it was from Jamaica in the West Indies (Choate)
HABITAT: Semi-open country such as brushland, desert, towns.
DIET: Seeds, grain, berries, also cactus flower nectar.
NESTING: Nest is built in a tree, shrub or cactus. Two or three light beige eggs are laid, incubated by both parents. Chicks fed ‘pigeon milk’.
DISTRIBUTION: Breeds along each side of USA southern border. Year-round resident in Mexico and the Caribbean. Wintering areas include southeast coast of USA along Gulf of Mexico and southern Mexico.
Distribution Map: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-winged_dove – /media/File:Zenaida_asiatica_map.svg
ON PEI: Does not breed on Prince Edward Island, sightings listed as ‘accidental’ so far. See note below on bird vagrancy.
CONSERVATION: Population expanding its range northward, not at risk.
Vagrancy: In biology this means an animal going way outside its normal range. For birds, this can happen when there are storms and they get blown off course. On other times, the bird simply wanders in a different direction than usual. Here’s an article about vagrancy in birds.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Mourning Dove
REFERENCES: http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/267/overview/White-winged_Dove.aspx http://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=ABNPB04010 (Montana Field Guide)
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/white-winged-dove
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Zenaida_asiatica/ (University of Michigan)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-winged_dove
https://txtbba.tamu.edu/species-accounts/white-winged-dove/ (Texas Breeding Bird Atlas)
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-winged_Dove/id#
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| White-winged dove, Mexico, Ereenegee |
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| White-winged doves, SearchNet Media |
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| White-winged dove, Robert Kixmiller |