Grey-headed Dove

Overview

The grey-headed dove (Leptotila plumbeiceps) is a large New World dove found from eastern Mexico to Colombia. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN due to its large range, although its biology and ecology remain largely unknown.

Identification

• Length of 23.5 to 26 cm with a weight of 139 to 205 g.
• Pale bluish gray forehead and crown, with an olive-brown back and a rufous wash.
• White throat and belly, pale pink breast, and pinkish buff face.
• Song consists of a single mournful monotonous note described as 'wooOOOoo' that fades in and out.

Habitat

Inhabits the interior and edges of humid forest, both primary and secondary, ranging from sea level to 900 m in most of Central America but reaching up to 2,600 m on the Puracé volcano in Colombia. In Colombia, the species appears to prefer dryer forest types, mostly between 1,000 and 1,800 m.

Did you know?

Specimens were found in breeding condition in January on Puracé, but this is the only known detail regarding the species' breeding phenology.