Caribbean Dove

Overview

The Caribbean dove (Leptotila jamaicensis) is a small pigeon species classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is most closely related to the white-tipped dove and comprises four recognised subspecies.

Identification

• Length of 29 to 33 cm with a weight between 117 and 190 g.
• Iridescent purple nape, rosy red mantle with green or purple gloss, and white underparts in adult males.
• White forehead and throat, olive-brown upperparts with a white band in front of the folded wing, and red legs.
• Song consists of a rhythmic series of four mournful monotonous notes, emphasising the last one as 'wo-o-o-oooooo'.

Habitat

The species inhabits semi-arid lowlands with some shrub or tree cover, and in Jamaica it favours dry limestone forest, particularly foothill secondary forest. Its range includes Belize, the Cayman Islands, Colombia, Honduras, Jamaica, and Mexico, with an introduced population in the Bahamas.

Diet

The Caribbean dove forages on the ground, feeding on seeds and small snails as documented in Jamaica.

Did you know?

In Jamaica, the dove has been recorded nesting at altitudes as high as 2,000 m in the Blue Mountains.