Zenaida dove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Zenaida dove |
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| Male, St. Thomas, USVI | |
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Zenaida
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| Species: |
aurita
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The Zenaida dove (Zenaida aurita) is a type of bird that belongs to the Columbidae family. This family includes all doves and pigeons. This special bird is the national bird of Anguilla, an island in the Caribbean. People there often call it the "turtle dove."
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What Does the Zenaida Dove Look Like?
The Zenaida dove is about 28 to 30 centimeters (11 to 12 inches) long. It looks quite a lot like the mourning dove, but there are some differences. The Zenaida dove is a bit smaller and has a shorter, rounder tail. Its feathers are also a little darker.
One easy way to tell a Zenaida dove apart is when it's flying. It has a clear white edge on the back of its wings. The mourning dove does not have this white edge.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Zenaida doves build simple nests, often on trees or bushes. Their nests are usually just a loose platform of twigs. They might also nest in cracks in rocks or even on grassy areas if there are no dangers nearby.
A female Zenaida dove usually lays two white eggs. It takes about two weeks for the eggs to hatch. The baby chicks grow very quickly! They are ready to leave the nest after only about two weeks. The parent doves feed their young a special food called "pigeon's milk." This is a very nutritious liquid that the parents bring up from their crop (a part of their throat). Some Zenaida doves can have up to four groups of babies in one year!
Where Do Zenaida Doves Live?
These doves live and breed across the Caribbean islands. You can also find them at the very tip of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. They like to live in open areas and places that are partly open, like the Petenes mangroves.
Long ago, a famous bird watcher named John James Audubon said he saw them breeding in the Florida Keys. However, there are only a few confirmed sightings of them in Florida.
The Zenaida dove is very common in most places where it lives. Its call sounds a bit sad, like "cooOOoo-coo-coo-coo." It's similar to the mourning dove's call, but it's usually faster.
What Do Zenaida Doves Eat?
Zenaida doves look for their food on the ground. They mostly eat grains and seeds. Sometimes, they also eat insects. These birds often feed near water.
To help them digest their food, Zenaida doves often swallow small pieces of gravel. They also sometimes eat salt from mineral-rich soil or from salt licks meant for farm animals. Scientists think this salt might help them lay eggs or produce the special pigeon milk for their babies.
