common or ruddy ground dove? Lower CO river in SE California (1 Viewer)

[tom baxter]

Struggling to be sure. I saw it in flight and had my impression, but it was such a brief look I was not confident and am just trying to learn how to tell if anyone can tell and explain.

Thank you!

 

[dan pointon]

Common

 

[tom baxter]

Common

Can you explain any reasons you came to that ID?

 

[Microtus]

The pink-based bill, and the shape/width of the dark markings on the wings, point to Common.

 

[njlarsen]

Compare https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Ruddy_Ground_Dove

And I agree with common

Niels

 

[tom baxter]

Compare https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Ruddy_Ground_Dove

And I agree with common

Niels

I have had unanimous agreement from several different outlets on Common Ground Dove. I'm not doubting the ID, I just cant even bring myself to see the ID marks in my photos even if I'm trying to force it. I have yet to personally see a single field mark in thees photos that clinches it for me.

That link does not show a good example of how extremely similar the females of the two species can look. I've looked at tons of photos online and in the field guides and the Western females of both species can be very similar. Everyone I have asked has said Common Ground Dove and has provided accurate ID points to justify their reason, I just personally have yet to see any of the field marks they claim to see in my photos. I see no scales and no pink on the bill and the head color is ambiguous and could be in line with either species from photos I've seen online.

I cant lean one way or the other from the photo.

What prompted me in the first place is that in the field, I had very brief but close (~30 feet) views in flight in which I saw 0 white on the tail suggesting Ruddy. The view was too brief for me to be confident that there was in fact 0 white, but I did immediately look for it and came up with nothing.

I am mainly perplexed and intrigued by the several unanimous responses spanning different ID help outlets, because like I said, even if I was 100% sure this was a Common, I still can't even force myself to see ANY of the field marks that have been suggested. Granted I have never seen a Ruddy in real life, so that likely is at play.

 

[tom baxter]

my pointless rant lol