Blue Ground Dove
A species of Dove Scientific name : Claravis pretiosa Genus : Dove
Blue Ground Dove, A species of Dove
Botanical name: Claravis pretiosa
Genus: Dove
Content
Description General Info
Photo By dominic sherony , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Description
The blue ground dove (Claravis pretiosa) is a small New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from southeastern Mexico to northwestern Peru and northern Argentina, and on Trinidad. The blue ground dove is relatively 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. It builds a flimsy dish nest of twigs 1–11 m high in a tree and lays two white eggs. Blue ground doves are small pigeons, 20 cm long with a weight of 65-72 g. Adult males have blue-grey upperparts and paler grey underparts, becoming grey-white on the face. The flight feathers and outer tail feathers are blackish, and the wings are boldly spotted black (these spots often forming distinct bands). The iris is red or yellow, the bare eyering is green, and the legs are flesh-pink. The female has a grey-brown head neck and breast, becoming pale blue-grey on the underwings and belly. The back is ruddy brown, contrasting with the chestnut rump and tail. The spots in the wings are chestnut-brown. Young birds resemble the female, but have ruddy scaling on the back. In most of its range, the male is unlikely to be confused with other species, but can locally be confused with the members of the genus Paraclaravis. The female also resembles the females of the members of the genus Paraclaravis, but at most localities it is more likely to be confused with the female ruddy ground dove, which is smaller and has blackish (not chestnut-brown) markings on the wings. In most regions where the blue ground dove occurs, a blue-grey and a brown bird flying through the trees together is bound to be this species. Blue ground doves occur singly, in pairs or sometimes in small groups. They feed mainly on the ground on seeds and small insects, and take grit. The male's song, given from the treetops, is a loud boop.
Size
23 cm
Nest Placement
Cavity
Feeding Habits
Blue Ground Dove primarily consume seeds and insects, foraging on the ground, and exhibit a preference for certain types of seeds, indicating a diet specialisation.
Habitat
Blue Ground Dove predominantly resides in habitats at the edges of forests, including both humid and semi-deciduous types, as well as clearings and second-growth vegetation. These birds are also found along riverside forests but typically remain in proximity to wooded areas. Blue Ground Dove is generally considered a lowland species, inhabiting elevations from sea level to about 1300 meters, with some regions noting occasional sightings up to 1800 meters.
Dite type
Frugivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Fruit
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Photo By dominic sherony , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Pigeons and doves Family
Dove Genus
Dove Species
Blue Ground Dove