This forest dove is known for its beautiful powder-blue coloring. The blue ground dove can be found throughout the humid tropical regions of the Americas, where it lives year-round.
Physical Description
Males and females have different coloration. Males have a blue-gray coloring throughout their entire body, with pale blue underparts, black spots on their wings and dark wingtips. Females have dark brown to cinnamon-colored feathering, pale undersides, dark-brown wingspots and an orange tail. Both males and females have a red iris and a green eye ring, pink legs and rather long tails.
Size
Adult blue ground doves are about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long and weigh around 2.4 ounces (65-72 grams).
Native Habitat
These birds can be found in tropical, humid areas, and are often seen near forest edges, clearings and roadsides.
Their range extends from southeastern Mexico and parts of the Caribbean to northern Argentina and Peru.
Communication
Males call continuously during the breeding season. Their "boop" sound can be heard from the treetops.
Food/Eating Habits
Blue ground doves primarily eat seeds and small insects, which they find while foraging on the ground.
Social Structure
Blue ground doves often live alone, but are sometimes seen traveling in pairs or small groups, flying high over the treetops or searching the ground for food.
Reproduction and Development
After pairing up, females and males will work together to build their nests, which are frail and made of twigs and sticks. Females lay two white eggs, which are incubated for about two weeks before hatching. Both parents help feed the babies until they are ready to fly away from the nest on their own.
