Gray-headed Dove

About the Gray-headed Dove

The grey-headed dove (Leptotila plumbeiceps) is a large New World dove. It is found from eastern Mexico to Colombia. The grey-headed dove, the grey-fronted dove (Leptotila rufaxilla) and pallid dove (L. pallida) of South America, the Azuero dove (L. battyi) of Central America, and the Grenada dove (L. wellsi) of Grenada were at one time thought to be a single species. Grey-headed dove, grey-fronted dove, and pallid dove are possibly a superspecies.

The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) and the Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) recognize two subspecies, the nominate L. p. plumbiceps and L. p. notia. They also recognize the Azuero dove (L. battyi) with two subspecies, which the American Ornithological Society (AOS) and the Clements taxonomy include in the grey-headed dove.

The grey-headed dove is 23.5 to 26 cm (9.3 to 10.2 in) long and weighs 139 to 205 g (4.9 to 7.2 oz). The adult male of the nominate subspecies has a pale bluish gray forehead and a slightly darker crown, nape, upper mantle, and sides of the neck. The rest of the face is pinkish buff. The throat and belly are white and the breast is pale pink. The upperparts... Wikipedia →