Overview
Adult birds of most races have a grey tinge from the crown to the nape, a pale grey or whitish forehead and a whitish throat. The eye-ring is typically red in most of its range, but blue in most of the Amazon and northern South America. The upperparts and wings are grey-brown, and the underparts are whitish shading to pinkish, dull grey or buff on the chest. The underwing coverts are rufous. The tail is broadly tipped with white, but this is best visible from below or in flight. The bill is black, the legs are red and the iris is yellow.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Bird
- Family
- Columbidae
- Genus
- Leptotila
- Species
- verreauxi
Habitat
It inhabits scrub, woodland and forest.
Diet
The food is mainly seeds obtained by foraging on the ground, but it will also take insects, including butterflies and moths.
Behavior
The white-tipped dove is usually seen singly or in pairs, and is rather wary. Its flight is fast and direct, with the regular beats and clattering of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general. The call is a deep hollow ooo-wooooo.
Hunting
A bird hunted by pass shooting over agriculture fields or watering holes.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.