Dove, White-winged

Physical Features

White-winged Doves are large, chunky pigeons measuring 29 cm in length. 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 featherless patch of blue orbital-skin and a long, dark patch on their cheek. Their eyes, legs, and feet are red. Males and females are similar in appearance although males are slightly bigger. The juveniles are grayer than the adults and lack the blue-orbital ring and their legs and feet are brownish pink. They also lack the black cheek patch that is present in adults.

Habitat

White-winged Doves live in dense woodlands and brush with thick canopies such as oak, citrus, ash, and elm, or in urban areas where they gravitate toward large shade trees. They find Cleared agricultural lands or other developments less attractive. The indigenous species of White-winged Doves can be found in the South-Western USA, New Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. They are also found in Florida, Alaska, Ontario, Maine, Newfoundland, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Most White-winged doves migrate in the winter to Mexico and Central America.

Diet

White-winged Doves forage in large groups in search of fruit and seeds. Domestic grains also constitute a large part of their diet. These doves also eat food that is not readily available on the ground, such as corn and sunflower seeds. They also seek out food from bird feeders. In dry areas, White-winged Doves feed on cactus fruit, pollen and nectar. They regularly swallowed stones to aid in digestion, while snail shell and bone fragments provide them with calcium.

Meat

The meat of the White-winged Dove is dense, lean and richly flavored. White-winged Doves are a popular game bird in areas of high populations. They can also be an agricultural pest, descending on grain crops in large flocks and causing vast destruction.

Behavior

The White-winged Dove walks when on the ground or on branches, and flies both quietly and swiftly. It jerks its tail when feeling anxious or territorial. The White-winged Dove is one of many birds that may lure predators away from the nest by pretending it has a broken wing. While some individuals are solitary, others are gregarious, especially at feeding and watering sites. Its flight is fast and direct, with the regular beats and occasional sharp flip of the wings, a trait common with pigeons in general. Females select nest sites within their mate's region, looking inside tree holes or between branches for a place with plenty of shade, cover, and a sturdy foundation. White-winged Doves often nest in large groups, sometimes very closely together. As many as 500 pairs can live in one nesting area. Both the male and female help in building the nest, which is a shallow, bowl-shaped depression. The nest is usually unlined and made almost entirely of small branches, and sometimes mosses, grass and reeds. The female constructs the nest while the male collects the building material for her. The female lays an average of two creamy white eggs, which she incubates for incubated for 15 to 20 days before they hatch. Chicks are born Naked except for long buffy or whitish down feathers and their eyes are closed at birth. They fledge and are able to leave the nest after 13 to 18 days. The cooing sounds produced by the White-winged Dove imitates the sound of someone saying, “who-cooks-for-you”, and “hoo hoo hoo.”

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