Black-winged Ground-Dove

About the Black-winged Ground-Dove

The black-winged ground dove (Metriopelia melanoptera) is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It lives in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru and is usually found in grassy areas near tree lines but roosts in Polylepis forest and Puya colonies. Throughout most of its range, it occurs at altitudes between 2,000 and 4,400 m (6,600 and 14,400 ft) but between 900 and 4,900 m (3,000 and 16,100 ft) in Chile. It moves to lower elevations in winter.

The black-winged ground dove has two subspecies, the nominate M. m. melanoptera and M. m. saturatior. The black-winged ground dove is 21 to 23 cm (8.3 to 9.1 in) long. Males weigh 89.1 to 114 g (3.14 to 4.02 oz) and females 86 to 96.1 g (3.03 to 3.39 oz). The nominate adult male is grayish brown or earth brown above with a faint pink tinge. The throat is whitish and the underparts fawn pink with gray flanks. The closed wing shows a white edge and some pale gray. The eye color is highly variable as is the bare skin that surrounds it. The adult female's upperparts are a duller brown than the male's and the underparts less pink. Juveniles do not have the adults' pink tinge... Wikipedia →