Plain-breasted Ground Dove Columbina minuta Scientific name definitions
Text last updated March 23, 2013
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Species names in all available languages
Language | Common name |
---|---|
Catalan | tórtora terrestre menuda |
Czech | holoubek malý |
Dutch | Dwergduif |
English | Plain-breasted Ground Dove |
English (United States) | Plain-breasted Ground Dove |
French | Colombe pygmée |
French (France) | Colombe pygmée |
German | Zwergtäubchen |
Japanese | フナシスズメバト |
Norwegian | dvergdue |
Polish | gołąbeczek karłowaty |
Portuguese (Brazil) | rolinha-de-asa-canela |
Portuguese (Portugal) | Rolinha-de-asa-acanelada |
Russian | Карликовая земляная горлица |
Serbian | Jednobojni livadski golubić |
Slovak | dudlavec trpasličí |
Spanish | Columbina Menuda |
Spanish (Argentina) | Torcacita Enana |
Spanish (Costa Rica) | Tortolita Menuda |
Spanish (Ecuador) | Tortolita Menuda |
Spanish (Honduras) | Turquita Menuda |
Spanish (Mexico) | Tortolita Pecho Liso |
Spanish (Panama) | Tortolita Menuda |
Spanish (Paraguay) | Tortolita enana |
Spanish (Peru) | Tortolita Menuda |
Spanish (Spain) | Columbina menuda |
Spanish (Venezuela) | Tortolita Sabanera |
Swedish | sparvduva |
Turkish | Küçük Serçe Kumrusu |
Ukrainian | Талпакоті малий |
Columbina minuta (Linnaeus, 1766)
Definitions
- COLUMBINA
- columbina
- minuta
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Introduction
The Plain-breasted Ground-Dove has a large but discontinuous distribution, from southern Mexico south through Central America to Colombia, over northern South America to Trinidad and the Guianas, and in central Brazil south to northeast Argentina, as well as on the Pacific coast of Ecuador and Peru. Both sexes of this ground-dwelling dove are most likely to be confused with the more widespread and familiar Ruddy Ground-Dove (Columbina talpacoti) and Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina). Compared to the former, the present species is much duller and less rufescent, whereas the latter species has a distinctively speckled appearance to the head and neck. The Plain-breasted Ground-Dove is usually found in rather arid areas, including second growth and cultivation, and has been seen to at least 2100 above sea level, but is usually encountered in the lowlands or foothills.
Field Identification
Male 14–15 cm, female 14·5–16 cm; 26–42·2 g (1). Very similar in coloration and markings to C. passerina but lacks scaling on head and breast, and even smaller; rufous on primaries less extensive, confined to inner webs; redder feet. Female C. talpacoti also is very similar to present species, but is larger with a proportionately longer tail and more rufescent wings and rump (2). Forehead, crown and nape bluish grey; face and throat pinkish, darkening on breast and underparts; undertail-coverts white with grey centres; iris yellow, yellow-brown or orange; bill grey or brown; legs and feet pink to red. Female paler, being rather ashy grey-brown on underparts (2). Juvenile like female though even duller and more greyish brown (2), but mantle scaled narrowly with buff and chest with cinnamon, and wing-covert spots less obvious and blackish (2). Races differ mainly in coloration: <em>elaeodes</em> darker fawn-brown above than nominate and deeper vinous-pink below (2).
Systematics History
Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.
Formerly placed in genus Columbigallina. Closely related to C. passerina; the two overlap in range in some areas. Race amazilia doubtfully distinct from nominate. Four subspecies currently recognized.Subspecies
Columbina minuta interrupta Scientific name definitions
Distribution
Columbina minuta interrupta (Griscom, 1929)
Definitions
- COLUMBINA
- columbina
- minuta
- interrupta / interruptus
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Columbina minuta elaeodes Scientific name definitions
Distribution
Columbina minuta elaeodes (Todd, 1913)
Definitions
- COLUMBINA
- columbina
- minuta
- elaeodes
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Columbina minuta minuta Scientific name definitions
Distribution
Columbina minuta minuta (Linnaeus, 1766)
Definitions
- COLUMBINA
- columbina
- minuta
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Columbina minuta amazilia Scientific name definitions
Distribution
Columbina minuta amazilia (Bonaparte, 1855)
Definitions
- COLUMBINA
- columbina
- minuta
- AMAZILIA
- amazilia
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Distribution
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.
Habitat
Lowlands and foothills, in arid sandy areas with scrub, light acacia woodland with open understorey (2), second growth and cultivated areas in Central and South America; also found in savanna and grassy fields; in Colombia, particularly in brushy ecotone between woodland and grassland. Occasionally perches low in bushes. In Central America found from sea-level up to 750 m, but regular to 1400 m in South America and occasionally to 2300 m in Peru (3).
Movement
Generally considered to be resident throughout range, but in savannas of S Guyana was described as “ubiquitous” in Oct–Nov 2000, but was apparently completely absent from the same area in Mar–Apr of same year (4). Very common in Pernambuco and N Bahia (NE Brazil) during early part of year (5). Also, there are occasional records outside the known range in Venezuela (6), where in at least parts of the llanos the species appears to virtually disappear during wet season (7).
Diet and Foraging
Very little known, but appears to feed mainly on grass seeds; the stomach contents of a bird in Panama predominantly comprised seeds of Sporobolus indicus (8). Forages in fields, scrubby edges or in undergrowth (2), in pairs or singly , rarely in small flocks of up to 10–15 birds.
Sounds and Vocal Behavior
Song is a series of evenly-spaced, low-pitched upslurred cooing notes “whoop....whoop....whoop...” at a rate of c. 1.2–1·6 notes per second. Length of notes is clearly shorter than length of pauses (unlike C. passerina).
Breeding
Suspected to be circumannual breeder in Colombia (2) and Costa Rica, mainly May–Jul in Pacific NW, and Jan in Parrita; Mar–Sept in Trinidad, with peak in Jun, and probably year-round (in both dry and wet seasons) in Venezuela and Guianas, with peak in Apr–Nov (2); in C Amazonian Brazil, nest in Apr (5); in Panama, nests found Mar–Jun; in Mexico, females in breeding condition in Apr (Veracruz) (9) and nests in May (Oaxaca) (1) and Aug (Yucatán) (10). Some authorities describe males performing a short display flight from a low perch on stiffly held wings (8). Nests similar to those of C. passerina but smaller (c. 12–13 cm in diameter (10) sometimes with slight central depression of c. 7 cm) (8), a fragile platform of grasses, stems and rootlets lined with feathers (2); in Trinidad, nest often placed on a pad of feathers; nests on ground or up to 9 m above ground in tree or shrub; constructed by both sexes (5). Clutch two white eggs , size 19·4–21 mm × 14·8–15·6 mm (8) (elaeodes) or 24 mm × 17 mm (11) (minuta), mass 3 (10)–3·4 g (11); incubation 13–14 days, with young fledging in 12–14 days (2). Adult may perform broken-wing distraction display around nest (8). At least in parts of Venezuela, there is a sexual imbalance amongst adults in favour of males (1·87 : 1) (7).
Conservation Status
Not globally threatened. Extensive range, within which species is fairly common to common in parts, e.g. locally in Colombia; local in much of Central America; rare in some areas, e.g. Trinidad, but equally is easily overlooked due to lack of attention paid most observers to Columbina ground-doves, witness first records of present species in Honduras (as recently as 2003) (12) and well-watched Mexican state of Yucatán (in 2000) (10). Appears to be locally in recession, since C. passerina may be replacing it in some areas where the two are sympatric, but given spread of urbanization and agriculturalization the species is overall likely to be increasing (2); it has, for example, recently (1987), appeared in Manaus (Amazonas, Brazil) (5).