Zenaida dove

Scientific name: Zenaida aurita

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

A small, slender dove with warm buff-brown plumage, distinctive black spots on wing coverts, and a small rounded head. Males are slightly larger and more iridescent on the neck than females; both sexes show a dark eye-stripe and bluish orbital ring.

Size and weight

Adults weigh 100–140 g; body length 23–28 cm. Males average slightly heavier than females.

Habitat

Zenaida doves inhabit open and semi-open country including scrublands, grasslands, cultivated fields, and woodland edges from sea level to moderate elevations. They favour areas with scattered trees and shrubs that provide perching and nesting sites.

Distribution

Resident across the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America, with range extending from Mexico through the Greater and Lesser Antilles to Venezuela. Prefers open scrubby terrain and agricultural zones.

Diet

Primarily seeds from grasses and herbaceous plants, supplemented with small grains and fallen fruits; feeds mainly on the ground.

Behaviour

Diurnal and crepuscular, most active at dawn and dusk. Social and often seen in small flocks; swift, direct fliers that flush explosively from ground cover. Roost communally in trees and shrubs.

Hunting tips

Look for sign in dust baths and sandy areas, and listen for their distinctive three-note cooing call at dawn. Approach quietly through open ground using available shrub cover; birds flush suddenly and fly fast and low. Early morning and late afternoon provide best light and activity; position yourself near feeding areas where birds congregate on bare ground and field edges.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 4 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.