- White-winged Dove
Taxobox
name = White-winged Dove
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo =Columbiformes
familia = Columbidae
genus = "Zenaida"
species = "Z. asiatica"
binomial = "Zenaida asiatica"
binomial_authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)The White-winged Dove ("Zenaida asiatica") is a dove whose native range extends from the south-western USA through
Mexico and theCaribbean . It has also been introduced toFlorida .Most populations of White-winged Doves are migratory, wintering in Mexico and
Central America . The White-winged Dove inhabits scrub, woodlands, desert, and cultivated areas. It builds a flimsy stick nest in a tree and lays two cream-colored to white, unmarked eggs. Its flight is fast and direct, with the regular beats and occasional sharp flick of the wings that are characteristic of pigeons in general.White-winged Doves are large, chunky pigeons at 29 cm. They are brownish-gray above and gray below, with a bold white wing patch that appears as a brilliant white crescent in flight and is also visible at rest. Adults have a patch of blue, featherless skin around each eye and a long, dark mark on the lower face. Their eyes, legs, and feet are red.
Both sexes are similar, but juveniles are grayer than adults. They have no blue eye ring and their legs and feet are brownish pink.
White-winged Doves feed on a variety of seeds, grains, and fruits. Western White-winged Doves ("Zenaida asiatica mearnsii") migrate into the
Sonoran Desert to breed during the hottest time of the year because they feed on pollen and nectar, and later on the fruits and seeds of theSaguaro cactus. This gregarious species can be an agricultural pest, descending on grain crops in large flocks. It is also a popular gamebird in areas of high population.The cooing calls are "who-cooks-for-you" and "hoo hoo hoo".
Trivia
The rock singer
Stevie Nicks , a native ofArizona , where the bird is most common in the USA, mentions the White-winged Dove and its call prominently in her 1981 hit "Edge of Seventeen".The White-winged Dove is expanding outside of its historic range into Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and northern New Mexico. [1] Unlike most of the White-winged Doves in Texas, the doves in these regions do not migrate in winter.
References
* BirdLife International (2004). Zenaida asiatica. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 09 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern.
* "National Geographic" Field Guide to the Birds of North America ISBN 0-7922-6877-6
* Handbook of the Birds of the World Vol 4, Josep del Hoyo editor, ISBN 84-87334-22-9
* "National Audubon Society" The Sibley Guide to Birds, by David Allen Sibley, ISBN 0-679-45122-6External links
* [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/White-winged_Dove.html White-winged Dove Species Account] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
* [http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i3190id.html White-winged Dove - "Zenaida asiatica"] - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
* [http://www.sdakotabirds.com/species/white_winged_dove_info.htm White-winged Dove Information and Photos] - South Dakota Birds and Birding
* [http://www.bird-stamps.org/cspecies/7211400.htm Stamps] (forBelize ,Cayman Islands ,Honduras ,Mexico , andUnited States )
* [http://vireo.acnatsci.org/search.html?Form=Search&SEARCHBY=Common&KEYWORDS=white-winged+dove&showwhat=images&AGE=All&SEX=All&ACT=All&Search=Search White-winged Dove photo gallery] VIREO-(picture of nest and egg clutch)
* [http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/especie.phtml?idEspecie=1834 White-winged Dove videos] on the Internet Bird Collection
* [http://tolweb.org/movies/Zenaida_asiatica/90995 White-winged Dove videos] (Tree of Life)
* [http://proft.50megs.com/raven.html Raven, the Hand-Fed Dove] (A true story)
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