Blue Ground-Dove (Claravis pretiosa)

[order] COLUMBIFORMES | [family] Columbidae | [latin] Claravis pretiosa | [UK] Blue Ground-Dove | [FR] Colombe cendree | [DE] Schmucktaubchen | [ES] Palomita Azulada (Arg), Tortolita Azulada, Turquita Azul (HN) | [NL] Blauwe Grondduif

Subspecies

Genus

Physical charateristics

A highly dimorphic species; males are “blue grey” & females are brown. Males a bright bluish grey , paler on undersides shading to near white on throat & forehead. Black spots edged with grey in rows on wing shields and coverts; primaries black. The two central tail feathers dark bluish grey, outer tail feathers black. Bill greyish green. Eye cere (orbital skin) pale greyish olive green & yellowish; eyes orange, red, pink or yellowish. Female an olive brown underparts to cinnamon brown above. Wing spots are chestnut. Central tail feathers & tail coverts a reddish brown. Juvenile female is similar to the hen, with buff or pale rufous fringes to the feathers. Wing spots are ill defined & paler. The juvenile male resembles the hen, but is darker & the wing spots are dull purplish black; (in above family pic the juvenile male is on the left – next to the adult male).

Listen to the sound of Blue Ground-Dove

[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/B/Blue Ground-Dove.mp3]

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

Range

Latin America : widespread

Habitat

The Blue Ground Dove is common in open woodland, forest edges, clearings and roadsides, especially in more humid areas. It is found from sea level to about 1200 m altitude.

Reproduction

It builds a flimsy dish nest of twigs 1-11 m high in a tree. Clutch is two white eggs; incubation 14-15 days, fledgling in about two weeks

Feeding habits

Blue Ground Doves occur singly or in pairs. They feed mainly on the ground on seeds and small insects, and take grit.

Conservation

This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
It is a resident breeder from southeastern Mexico to northwestern Peru and northern Argentina, and on Trinidad. Not uncommon in Suriname in savannahs and forest edges.

Migration

Resident throughout range.

Distribution map