Dove (Zenaida)

Found throughout the Caribbean, the Zenaida dove is a rather stocky dove species with a low, mournful call and its plumage is reddish to greyish-brown above and lighter pinkish-brown below, with a more cinnamon head. There is an iridescent purple patch on the side of the neck, and two dark violet-blue streaks on the side of the face, which appear black from a distance. The wings bear black spots, and the outer secondary feathers have white tips. The beak is black and the legs and feet are red. The female Zenaida dove is duller and paler than the male, with a greyer back and a smaller iridescent neck patch.

 The Zenaida dove sings with a gentle, mournful-sounding cooing, described as ‘coo-oo, coo, coo, coo’ or ‘hoo’ooo-oo oo-ooo’. Its song resembles that of the closely related mourning dove but is usually slightly more curtailed. The Zenaida dove can also be distinguished from the mourning dove by its shorter, less pointed tail, proportionately larger legs and feet, and by the white in its wings

 

Photographed in the wild, Island of St. Lucia