Florida has the perfect habitat for an array of avian species with its sunny skies and lush greenery, and Doves are no exception. These graceful birds add a touch of serenity to the state’s beautiful landscapes.
You can catch these cool Doves pretty much anywhere, whether you’re chilling in a city park or exploring the laid-back wilderness.
Not to mention, their cooing melodies are like a soothing soundtrack to the peaceful atmosphere of the place.
That is why, today I am here with the different Dove species that call Florida their home and discover the captivating world of Doves in Florida.
So get ready to be amazed by their grace, charm, and the contribution they make to the Sunshine State’s natural harmony!
Contents
Doves in Florida: Description
You can find several Dove species in Florida with each of them exhibiting unique characteristics and behaviors that will captivate you. So, without further ado, let’s check out how you can identify all of the species of Doves in Florida!
Ruddy Quail-Dove
Source: @picsandpreserves
- Scientific Name: Geotrygon montana
- Size: 23 to 25 cm (9 to 10 in)
- Locality: Central America, The Caribbean, and Tropical South America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: February to August
Ruddy Quail-Doves are often more often heard than seen due to their elusive behavior and preference for dense cover. Their haunting and soft cooing calls echo through the forest and add an aura of mystery and tranquility to their natural surroundings.
Recognition
The upper parts of the bird are primarily reddish-brown or ruddy in color, while the underparts are a more subdued grayish or bluish-gray shade. The head is adorned with a distinctive pale blue-gray crown and nape. It has beautiful red eyes, a short, rounded tail, and stout legs.
Habitat
This Dove thrives in various types of wooded habitats, such as tropical and subtropical forests, as well as dense woodlands with abundant undergrowth. In Florida, it is primarily found in the southern part of the state.
Key West Quail-Dove
Source: @js_guenette
- Scientific Name: Geotrygon chrysia
- Size: 27 to 31 cm (10.6 to 12.2 in)
- Locality: Central America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: February to August
Key West Quail-Dove is notably shy and secretive, and it often remains hidden within the foliage, making it challenging to spot even for experienced birdwatchers. So, be careful not to be noticed by them, or else they will escape on foot!
Recognition
The upperparts of the bird are predominantly olive-brown, adorned with intricate black and white markings that create an eye-catching pattern and the underparts are generally a warm chestnut color. The head is graced with a subtle blue-gray crown, and the legs are short and sturdy.
Habitat
The Key West Quail-Dove is closely associated with the unique habitats found in the Florida Keys, particularly the subtropical hardwood hammocks and pine rocklands. These habitats have a mix of lush vegetation, such as hardwood trees, shrubs, and dense undergrowth.
Mourning Dove
Source: @barleyspics
- Scientific Name: Zenaida macroura
- Size: 31 cm (12 in)
- Locality: North America and Central America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: March to October
Mourning Doves are frequent visitors to bird feeders, where they readily eat various seeds like sunflower seeds and millet. So, you can easily find them almost throughout Florida.
Recognition
This Dove has a sleek and slender body with a long, pointed tail. The overall coloration of the bird is soft and muted with shades of gray and beige on its back and wings, and a pale pinkish hue on its chest and belly. It has a black crescent-shaped patch on its lower neck, just above the chest, and a small black spot on each side of its neck.
Habitat
They are commonly spotted in suburban areas, open woodlands, grasslands, parks, farmlands, and even urban environments. In urban settings, they often use ledges, rooftops, and utility wires as perches, while in more natural environments, they prefer to roost in trees and shrubs.
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Source: @daveverderosa
- Scientific Name: Streptopelia decaocto
- Size: 30 to 33 cm (12 to 14 in)
- Locality: Southern North America and Eurasia
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Throughout the Year
Unlike some other Dove species, Eurasian Collared-Doves are more tolerant of human presence and activity. So, you can easily spot them and even befriend them with food particles.
Recognition
The plumage of this Dove is generally pale and uniform, with soft grayish-brown colors on the back and wings. Its underparts are a lighter and creamier shade that blends into a pure white belly. It has a distinctive black crescent-shaped collar on the back of its neck and it has a tail that is long and squared-off.
Habitat
In Florida, you can find these Doves in residential neighborhoods, city parks, farmlands, and open woodlands. They are particularly fond of areas with ample food sources and easy access to water, which is why they are commonly found near human settlements.
Common Ground Dove
Source: @frances.naturephotography
- Scientific Name: Columbina passerina
- Size: 15 to 18 cm (5.9 to 7.1 in)
- Locality: Southern United States, Central America, and Northern South America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Throughout the Year
The Common Ground Dove is known for its gentle and soft cooing calls that can be heard as it moves about in search of food. It is often seen walking rather than hopping like some other Doves.
Recognition
This Dove’s plumage is a mix of earthy colors, with a sandy brown back, wings, and head, along with a pale pinkish-gray chest and belly. A striking feature is the bold scaled pattern on its neck and the bright blue crown to the nape.
Habitat
They can be found in open grasslands, savannas, agricultural fields, urban parks, and gardens. You can even spot them in residential areas, particularly if there is ample cover and food available.
Inca Dove
Source: @momstheword12
- Scientific Name: Columbina inca
- Size: 16.5 to 23 cm (6.5 to 9.1 in)
- Locality: Southern North America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Throughout the Year
The Inca Dove’s unique behaviors make it a joy to observe in its natural habitat. Its soft and rhythmic coos create a memorable and endearing soundscape with the repetition of the phrase “nope” or “nope, nope.”
Recognition
This Dove has a dainty and slender build and its overall appearance is soft and understated, with a primarily grayish-brown coloration on its back, wings, and head. The chest and belly are a paler shade of gray that often has fine white scalloping.
Habitat
In Florida, it is most commonly spotted in urban and suburban areas, as well as rural settings with scrublands and open grasslands. They are well-adapted to human-altered environments and are often spotted in parks, gardens, and agricultural fields.
White-Winged Dove
Source: @westerncanadanaturepictures
- Scientific Name: Zenaida asiatica
- Size: 29 cm (11 in)
- Locality: Southern North America and Central America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: April to September
White-Winged Dove’s call is a soft cooing sound that can be described as a gentle “who cooks for you, who cooks for you.” You can often hear them in the early morning and late afternoon, contributing to the soothing sounds of nature in their habitat.
Recognition
Their plumage is primarily a soft grayish-brown, with a distinct white patch on its wings that becomes prominent during flight. The underparts are a warm pinkish hue, particularly on its chest and belly. Their head is adorned with a striking blue-gray crown.
Habitat
This species is often associated with areas that offer a mix of open spaces for foraging and perching sites, such as trees and utility wires. They are commonly seen in open woodlands, forests, parks, and residential neighborhoods.
Zenaida Dove
Source: @stuartnordheimer
- Scientific Name: Zenaida aurita
- Size: 28 to 30 cm (11 to 12 in)
- Locality: Eastern Central America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: March to June and October to January
The Zenaida Dove is not particularly shy and may be more approachable than some other Dove species. It is named after Zenaida, the wife of 19th-century ornithologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte.
Recognition
This Dove has a sleek and slender build with a long, tapered tail along with a bright orange or pinkish hue to its legs and feet. The plumage is soft and understated with a mix of earthy colors. Its back, wings, and head are primarily a warm brownish-gray, while its underparts are a paler shade of gray.
Habitat
This Dove species thrives in diverse environments, including open woodlands, grasslands, farmlands, and urban areas. In Florida, it is often seen in both rural and urban settings, known to visit bird feeders.
White-Crowned Dove
Source: @gillsbioexperiences
- Scientific Name: Patagioenas leucocephala
- Size: 29 to 35 cm (11 to 14 in)
- Locality: Eastern Central America
- Status: Near Threatened
- Breeding Season: May to September
White-Crowned Doves are highly migratory, and they travel from their wintering grounds in the Caribbean and Central America to breed in various coastal and mangrove habitats. So, you can only visit them during a specific time.
Recognition
The most distinguishing feature of the White-crowned Dove is its distinctive white crown that contrasts beautifully with its dark grayish-blue body. The back, wings, and tail are rich bluish-gray, and the underparts are a slightly lighter gray.
Habitat
They are known to visit Florida, particularly in the Florida Keys and southern parts of the state during the breeding season. They are often found in dense and lush woodlands, including hammocks, mangroves, and coastal forests.
Rock Dove
Source: @camerawala_ladka__
- Scientific Name: Columba livia
- Size: 29 to 37 cm (11 to 15 in)
- Locality: Western and Southern Europe, North Africa, and South Asia
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: March to June, and again in August to November
One interesting fact about the Rock Dove is that it played a crucial role in the history of communication and transportation. They were trained to fly back and forth between designated lofts while carrying written messages tied to their legs.
Recognition
One of the distinguishing features of the Rock Dove is its two broad black bands on its wings, which are visible in flight. Its tail is long and squared off, and its legs and feet are usually a shade of pink or red. The most common plumage coloration is a mix of gray, brown, and iridescent feathers on its neck and wings.
Habitat
Its natural habitats include rocky cliffs and coastal areas, however, it has also successfully adapted to urban environments and is commonly seen in cities, towns, and parks. In urban areas, they often roost on ledges, rooftops, and other man-made structures.
Scaly-Naped Dove
Source: @kennydiazj
- Scientific Name: Patagioenas squamosa
- Size: 35.5 to 40 cm (14 to 16 in)
- Locality: Eastern Central America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: March to June
The Scaly-naped Dove is known for its gentle and unobtrusive behavior and you can find them foraging quietly in the canopy or on the forest floor. Their soft cooing calls add a tranquil atmosphere to their natural surroundings.
Recognition
This Dove has a scaly pattern on the nape of its neck and has maroon-colored plumage around the neck. It has a bare patch of skin around its red eyes, with the patch being reddish in males and more yellow in females and the overall plumage color is a dark gray shade.
Habitat
They inhabit coastal forests, mangroves, and wooded areas. It is also known to frequent parks, gardens, and agricultural lands. They prefer areas with dense vegetation and plentiful fruiting trees and in Florida, they are mainly found in the southern part of the state.
African Collared Dove
Source: @joes_outdoor_adventures
- Scientific Name: Streptopelia roseogrisea
- Size: 26 cm (10 in)
- Locality: Northern Africa, Southwestern Arabian Peninsula, and Northeastern America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: September and October
African Collared Doves are not native to Florida, but they are sometimes reported to have strayed off to the state. They also have been introduced to other parts of the world alongside Florida.
Recognition
Their plumage is primarily grayish-brown, with a pinkish hue on the chest and a light gray belly. The back and wings often display a delicate scalloped pattern, and the nape has a black crescent patch. Like other Doves, it has a slender build, a small head, and a long, tapered tail.
Habitat
It is commonly seen in woodlands, savannas, grasslands, agricultural areas, and urban environments. This Dove has adapted well to human-altered landscapes and is often spotted in villages, towns, and cities.
FAQ
Now, it’s time to check out some FAQ answers about the Doves in Florida because I believe you have more curiosities left to unfold!
Q: Do Doves eat from bird feeders?
Ans: Yes, some Dove species, like the Mourning Dove and Eurasian Collared-Dove, are known to visit bird feeders and consume seeds. Providing bird feeders with appropriate seeds can attract Doves to your backyard.
Q: Are Doves and Pigeons the same?
Ans: Yes, Doves and Pigeons belong to the same family of birds, Columbidae, and they are closely related. In scientific terms, there is no strict taxonomic distinction between Doves and Pigeons.
Thoughts
Doves have a special symbolism in cultures worldwide, representing love and unity. It is no wonder that they have won the hearts of many with their gentle nature and calming presence.
Their presence in Florida’s ecosystems brings joy and tranquility to residents and visitors alike.
Doves are not only admired for their beauty and graceful flight but also appreciated for their role in pollination and seed dispersal to contribute to the health and balance of the environment.
Whether cooing in the early morning or foraging on the ground for seeds, Doves are a symbol of peace and harmony that enriches the natural tapestry of Florida.
So, let’s keep the Florida skies filled with the flutter of Doves and continue to embrace the wonders of the natural world.
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Audio Credits: xeno-canto, wikimedia
