Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata Scientific name definitions

The Eared Dove is a species of dove found widely in South America, especially in the southern part of the continent.  It is brown and gray and generally resembles the Mourning Dove of North America but with a shorter tail.  Because of their extreme abundance near Cordoba, Argentina, Eared Doves are prized by upland bird hunters who might shoot as many as 1,000 birds in a day.  In agricultural areas with rich grain supplies, the doves might breed multiple times per year with little apparent seasonality.

Male 22–28 cm, 102–125 g; female 22–26 cm, c. 95 g. Crown and nape bluish grey; rest of head, neck and breast pinkish to purplish buff, shading to buff or cream on belly into undertail-coverts; upperparts olive-brown with black markings on wings; primaries and outer secondaries black with narrow white edges; two black facial streaks, one behind and the other below the eye, the upper spot is dull black and the lower iridescent blue; iridescent pink or bronzy patch on each side of neck; central tail feathers olive-brown, next pair grey with black central bar, the rest grey with black central bar and terminal white patch; iris brown to reddish brown; orbital skin bluish or grey; bill dark grey to black; legs and feet red. Female similar but duller; head, neck and underparts less pinkish, occiput less bluish grey, metallic reflections on side of neck less brilliant and extended. Juvenile  has wing and tail feathers similar to adults; foreneck and breast dull light buffy brownish, feathers with pale terminal margins; no metallic reflections on side of neck; wing-coverts and scapulars also, with paler margins, lesser and median coverts sometimes with small medio-terminal wedge-shaped streaks of dull white. Races  differ in coloration.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Inhabits arid to semi-arid scrubland, sometimes with scattered trees or patchy woodland; occurs up to 2000 m, locally to 4400 m in Bolivia, and 3500 m elsewhere in Andes; usually avoids tropical forest. In Argentina, found in thornscrub Chaco region with scattered Prosopis and Acacia trees. Also found in cultivated fields and pastures, where considered a pest in some regions; common in some large cities, e.g. La Paz. Deforestation in Brazil has created open areas into which this species has spread e.g. in NE Espiríto Santo. In Trinidad , occupies mangroves as well as savanna.

Dispersive.  At intervals of 2–3 years, appears in compact flocks of 1000s in NE Brazil (Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte) in Apr–Jun. Nomadic in Argentina. Nesting locations may be used as a post-breeding roost from where birds disperse in search of food; birds have been seen to return to traditional roosting sites even after the trees had been felled, when they may roost on ground or in low shrubs. On Trinidad and Tobago, may gather in post-breeding flocks of 50–100 individuals. Has recently colonized St Lucia, St Vincent and Barbados, with two records from Martinique. First recorded (four birds) on Trindade Island, Brazil, in 2013 (4 Port, D. and Fisch, F. (2015). Primeiro registro da pomba-de-bando Zenaida auriculata (Des Murs, 1847) (Columbiformes: Columbidae) na Ilha da Trindade, Brasil Ornithologia. 7(2):42–44. Close ). Also recorded with increasing frequency and in small flocks in French Guiana since 2002 (5 Renaudier, A. and Comité d’Homologation de Guyane (2010). Rare birds in French Guiana in 25535535–5537 Cotinga. 32: OL 95–104. Close ). Vagrant to Costa Rica (6 Garrigues, R. and Costa Rican rarities committee (2016). Lista Oficial de las Aves de Costa Rica. Actualización 2016 Zeledonia. 20(2): 3–12. Close ). Occasionally turns up in Falkland Is and on Staten I. One has reached South Georgia (ship-assisted) (7 Prince, P. A., and J. P. Croxall (1996). The birds of South Georgia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 116(2):81–104. Close ).

Detailed studies in Argentina indicate that there 85% of the diet consists of cultivated seeds , including sorghum Sorghum bicolor, wheat Triticum aestivum and millet Panicum miliaceum; only small proportion of the diet comprising seeds of wild plants , notably grasses Echinochloa colonum, Setaria pampeana, Amaranthus and Chenopodium album. Seeds taken in smaller quantities include those of Euphorbia and Croton, which sprout after the heavy rains in November–March, and are a favourite food in Brazil. It also consumes some maize Zea mays, peanuts Arachis hypogaea and sunflower Helianthus annuus. Is a major pest of sorghum crops in Venezuela and Colombia.

In the Paranapanema Valley (São Paulo, Brazil) the enormous numbers flocks of Eared Doves that breed colonially in sugar-cane, eat four crop seeds: maize, wheat, rice and soybeans, in order of dietary importance. Their consumption of sprouting soybeans is especially problematic for the farmers. Three weed species, Euphorbia heterophylla, Brachiaria plantaginea and Commelina benghalensis, are also important in the diet here (8 Ranvaud, R., Freitas, K.C., Bucher, E.H., Dias, H.S., Avanzo, V.C. and Alberts, C.C. (2001). Diet of eared doves (Zenaida auriculata, Aves, Columbidae) in a sugar-cane colony in Southeastern Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology. 61: 651–660. Close ).

Dietary composition is partly opportunistic and may vary considerably both regionally and seasonally. Analyses of gut contents of birds in Ñuble Province, south-central Chile, found that in summer these included 28 seed taxa that corresponded to nine weed species and one crop species, whereas in winter, there were 24 taxa with 12 weeds and three crop species. In summer, Echium vulgare, Triticum sp., and Vicia sp. were the most important species consumed, according to occurrence and biomass. In winter, Triticum sp., Vicia sativa, E. vulgare and Chenopodiaceae were the most important species consumed. Seeds that contributed most of the seasonal variation were E. vulgare, Triticum sp., and V. sativa . This study indicates that in some regions at least Eared Doves have a generalist diet consisting of a large diversity of weed seeds, which may limit their impact as agricultural pests (9 González-Acuña, D., Riquelme, P., Cruzatt, J., López-Sepúlveda, P., Figueroa, R.A. and Moreno, L. (2017). Dieta estacional de la Tórtola (Zenaida auriculata) en la provincia de Ñuble, Chile Revista Chilena de Ornitologia 23(1): 19–25. Close ).

Song similar to Z. macroura, a low-pitched, mournful cooing “whoo’oOO...hu...hu...hu” with a slightly hoarser quality. Sometimes first note less emphasized, e.g. “hoo...hu...hu...hu”. Not very vocal and song is not far-carrying. Also a low-pitched growling “ohrrrr”.

Breeding seasons differ regionally and may be highly synchronised, linked to crop seed availability. In Argentina  recorded nesting April–August, sometimes to September. In Brazil, February–June; on Trinidad, recorded December–January and also March–September. Nesting is frequently on the ground, particularly in the cultivated regions of Argentina and Brazil,where colonies of up to 1–5 million birds occur. A regular colony of some 4 million birds is reported from sugar cane plantations in São Paulo state, Brazil, where nesting at the base of coffee shrubs is also frequent (10 Brannstrom, C. (2003). Post-194127 occurrence of the Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata) in the Middle Paranapanema valley, São Paulo State, Brazil Ararajuba. 11(1): 93–94. Close ). Here the nests are located on the ground, along sugar cane rows. In one study a single large, highly synchronised breeding peak was recorded at the end of February reaching densities between 1.0 and 1.5 eggs/m², followed by three regularly spaced subsidiary peaks (11 Menezes, L.N., Ranvaud, R.D. and Bucher, E.H. (1998). Breeding synchronisation in Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata colonies in south-eastern Brazil. In: Adams, N.J. & Slotow, R.H. (eds) Proc. 22 Int. Ornithol. Congr., Durban. Ostrich 69: 227. Close ). High synchrony has also been recorded in Eared Dove colonies in north-eastern Brazil, but not in central Argentina, suggesting an adaptive response to variable environmental conditions.

Elsewhere, in Trinidad it builds a small stick nest , 1–18 m above ground in a mangrove or in a small tree. In xeric Brazilian habitat nests are located among macambiras Bromelia laciniosa and xique-xique cactus Pilocereus gounellei on sand, protected by the spiny vegetation. On Fernando de Noronha I, nests  are placed on rocks among marine birds. Nests on the ground at the Amazon estuary and along Paraná; in Ecuador, Brazil and Argentina, nests may be in trees or on ground; in Corrientes (N Argentina), has even been found nesting on roof beam of derelict farmhouse. The clutch size is usually two white eggs  (1–3); incubation c. 14 days. Chicks  have yellowish down  .

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). The most abundant South American pigeon. Still very common to abundant in many areas, locally superabundant. In general, habitat degradation, in particular the replacement of forest by agricultural croplands, favours this species, which is considered to be increasing overall. For example, in northern Paraná State, southern Brazil, the species was considered uncommon a few decades ago but is now abundant. It is suggested that here the removal of the original forest and the expansion of agriculture in the region have provided a large amount of seeds. Accordingly, the population shows peaks locally in rural areas during November/ December, March and April/May — periods in which planting of soybean and maize, and the soybean harvest, and wheat planting in the region, occur, respectively (12 Montes Fontoura, P. and Orsi, M.L. (2014). Comparative population densities of three species of doves (Columbidae) in disturbed landscapes in Northern Paraná State, Brazil Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia. 22(3): 245–250. Close ).

Huge flocks form: in an area of 2,500,000 ha, total of 15–20 roosts found, each containing c. 1,000,000 birds. The species is accordingly a serious crop pest in some regions, and flocks of 100,000 birds may descend onto a grain field. Thousands are killed each year as pests in Argentina, or for the table in Brazil. The species readily adapts to anthropogenic environments, including urban areas.