From Opus

Previously known as Violet-eared Dove

Subspecies rubripes
Photo by NJLarsen
St. Vincent, January 2007

Zenaida auriculata

[edit] Identification

Length: 22-25 cm in north, some southern birds larger.
The tail looks short, especially on the standing bird. Both upper and undersides have a warm brown color, with a few black spots on the folded wing. The head has a grey crown (brown in female), black line going diagonally down behind the eye, and a second paralel line further down the side of the head. At least on some subspecies, the area behind the eye shows a violet color. The underparts including the undertail coverts are brown, and the tail is tipped with cinnamon in northern populations, white in southern ones; subterminally, there is a black band. The bill is black and the legs dark red.

Immatures are greyish-brown, very dull, with pale barring.

Photo by MKC
Guararema/SP, Brazil, December 2007

[edit] Similar Species

The northern populations completely lack the white colors shown by Zenaida Dove (especially in flight). Zenaida Dove is overlapping at least part of the northern range and has a very similar overall build. Eared Dove is smaller then the Mourning Dove and lacks the long graduated tail of that species.

[edit] Distribution

Breeds in South America from Argentina and Chile to Colombia and Venezuela, and in the Caribbean in the Netherlands Antilles and the Lesser Antilles north to St. Lucia and Barbados. Records exist for observations on Martinique and Panama.

Its occurrence in Trinidad and Tobago and the Lesser Antilles seems to be of recent date^[2][3].

Eared Dove displays seasonal movements.

Subspecies hypoleuca
Photo by Mariano Mavila
Lima, Peru

[edit] Taxonomy

The Eared Dove, Mourning Dove and Socorro Dove are closely related; in the past some authorities have described them as forming a superspecies.

[edit] Subspecies

Eleven subspecies are recognized^[1]:

• Z. a. rubripes: Lesser Antilles, Trinidad and central Colombia to Venezuela and northern Brazil
• Z. a. hypoleuca: Arid littoral of western Ecuador and western Peru
• Z. a. caucae: Western Colombia (Cauca Valley)
• Z. a. antioquiae: North-central Andes of Colombia (Antioquia)
• Z. a. ruficauda: Eastern Andes of Colombia to w Venezuela (M‚rida)
• Z. a. vinaceorufa: Netherlands Antilles (Curacao, Aruba and Bonaire)
• Z. a. jessieae : Bank of lower Amazon near Santar‚m
• Z. a. marajoensis: Maraj¢ and Mexiana islands in estuary of the Amazon
• Z. a. noronha: North-eastern Brazil (Maranh?o, Piau¡, Bahia); Fernando de Noronha Island
• Z. a. virgata: Bolivia to central Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego
• Z. a. auriculata: Central Chile (Atacama to Llanquihue) and west-central Argentina

[edit] Habitat

Southern populations seems to prefer dry areas while birds of Trinidad and Tobago occur in wet areas such as savannahs and mangrove. In some areas Eared Doves are seen as an agricultural pest.

[edit] Behaviour

Sometimes occur in large flocks. Flight is strong.

[edit] Diet

They mainly forage on the ground where food mainly consists of grains and seeds, but rest in trees.

[edit] Breeding

Nesting is arboreal; two white eggs are laid in a stick nest. Only about three weeks pass from egg laying to fledging; as a result, newly fledged Eared Doves look very small and incompletely developed.

[edit] Vocalisation

Voice is very deep and can be heard at all times of the day.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Raffaele et al. 1998. Birds of the West Indies. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0713649054
3. Richard ffrench. 1991. A guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago. Comstock/Cornell Paperbacks. ISBN 0-8014-9792-2
4. Restall et al. 2006. Birds of Northern South America. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300124156

• List of references

[edit] External Links