White-fronted Quail-Dove Geotrygon leucometopia Scientific name definitions

The White-fronted Quail-Dove is principally an inhabitant of dense, moist highland forests to almost 1700 m, but also occurs in drier forest at lower altitudes, down to at least 745 m. It feeds on seeds and small invertebrates. Like other Geotrygon species, this quail-dove is usually seen crossing a forest trail, or by waiting quietly near a drinking place. It sings from above the ground, on a branch, but can be very hard spot in such situations. Only one nest has ever been found, but the species is speculated to breed from January until August. Compared to other quail-doves found on the island of Hispaniola, this species is easily identified by its gleaming white forehead, lack of obvious facial stripes or brown tones in the plumage, and its distinctively purplish-colored back. Recently split from the strict Cuban endemic, the Gray-fronted Quail-Dove (Geotrygon caniceps), this Hispaniolan endemic is undoubtedly scarce and almost certainly declining as a result of ongoing habitat destruction, especially in the border region between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Any hypothetical population in the latter country is probably already extirpated, and it is also suspected to have been lost from the Sierra de Neiba in the Dominican Republic. Hunting pressure might also be an issue, at least locally. Because BirdLife International does not accept the two-way species split, the Dominican Republic population has not been separately analyzed as regards its threat status.

28 cm; 171 g. Crown, nape and head-sides slate-grey, with striking white forecrown , neck-sides  suffused reddish purple or violet, this colour sometimes extending onto and across breast, upperparts slightly darker with a metallic purplish-blue sheen, underparts grey, becoming rufous on lower belly and undertail-coverts  ; eyes red, bill reddish becoming paler, more yellowish at tip, and legs and feet reddish. Juvenile browner than adult, lacking reddish or purple sheen on mantle and neck sides. Distinguished from formerly conspecific but wholly allopatric G. caniceps by white forehead; also darker overall, with richer and very lustrous iridescence on mantle and back (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). No other quail-dove on Hispaniola has white forecown.

Like most of congeners, formerly placed in genus Oreopeleia. Formerly treated as conspecific with G. caniceps, but now normally split (2 Dickinson, E. C., and J. V. Remsen, Editors (2013). The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Fourth edition. Volume 1. Aves Press, Eastbourne, UK. Close ), based on present species having bold white vs greyish-white forehead (3); dull darkish grey vs mid-grey rest of crown and head-sides (1); glossy purple of mantle extending much further onto the breast-sides in most specimens (variable character; 1); rather richer rufous in wings (ns[1]); song described as different (3 Raffaele, H., J. W. Wiley, O. H. Garrido, A. R. Keith, and J. Raffaele (1998). Birds of the West Indies. Christopher Helm, London. Close )—”a prolonged coo-o-o’ in place of ‘a continuous, low uup-uup-uup-uup without pauses” (this latter confirmed by a single recording) (2); shorter tail in male (4 Garrido, O.H., Kirwan, G.M. and Capper, D.R. (2002). Species limits within Grey-headed Quail-dove Geotrygon caniceps and implications for the conservation of a globally threatened species. Bird Conserv. Int. 12(2): 169–187. Close ), effect size 1.18 (1). Probably also close to G. versicolor, with which shares chestnut underwing and lack of black head markings. Monotypic.

Dominican Republic (Cordillera Central, Sierra de Baoruco and Sierra de Neiba, but may have been extirpated from the last). Probable historical records in Haiti (Morne La Selle).

Inhabits montane and lower subtropical (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) forests and coffee plantations, apparently to at least 1800 m, although highest definite altitude on record 1685 m (5 Kirwan, G. M., R. S. R. Williams, and C. G. Bradshaw (1999). Interesting avifaunal records from the Dominican Republic. Cotinga 11: 27–29. Close ), and also known from two localities at sea-level in much drier xerophytic areas, characterized by tall columnar cacti, emergent palms and 1–3 m-tall scrub (6 Garrido, O.H., Kirwan, G.M. and Capper, D.R. (2002). Species limits within Grey-headed Quail-dove Geotrygon caniceps and implications for the conservation of a globally threatened species. Bird Conservation International. 12(2): 169–187. Close ).

Feeds on seeds and small invertebrates (insects, grubs and caterpillars).

Song comprises long series  of short, low-pitched “haoo” or “cooo” notes, given either very rapidly in the former instance or more slowly (every c. 0·5 seconds) and for longer in case of second call (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ); these different songs have been termed “fast” and “slow” songs (6 Garrido, O.H., Kirwan, G.M. and Capper, D.R. (2002). Species limits within Grey-headed Quail-dove Geotrygon caniceps and implications for the conservation of a globally threatened species. Bird Conservation International. 12(2): 169–187. Close ), and birds can change from one to the other, although there is some evidence that this species changes only from fast song to slow song, whereas the reverse is true in its sibling species G. caniceps in Cuba (7 Kirwan, G.M. and Kirkconnell, A. (2002). The avifauna of Pálpite, Ciénaga de Zapata, Cuba, and the importance of the area for globally threatened and endemic birds. El Pitirre. 15(3): 101–109. Close ). 

Nest of twigs and leaves, lined with rootlets and/or grasses (1 Gibbs, D., E. Barnes, and J. Cox (2001). Pigeons and Doves: A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ), placed low in undergrowth or vine tangle (8 Keith, A. R., J. W. Wiley, S. C. Latta, and J. A. Ottenwalder. (2003). The Birds of Hispaniola: Haiti and the Dominican Republic. An Annotated Checklist. British Ornithologists' Union Checklist 21. British Ornithologists' Union and British Ornithologists' Club, Tring. Close ). Clutch 1–2 (reportedly sometimes three) (9 Keith, A.R., Wiley, J.W., Latta, S.C. and Ottenwalder, J.A. (2003). The Birds of Hispaniola. Haiti and the Dominican Republic: An Annotated Checklist. BOU Checklist 21. British Ornithologists’ Union, Tring, UK. Close ) beige-coloured eggs.

ENDANGERED. Population estimated at no more than 2500 individuals. It has a single, very small population which has suffered a rapid and continuing decline, owing to ongoing habitat loss, hunting pressure and the effects of introduced predators, and it occupies a tiny range in which suitable habitat is declining in area and quality, and may be severely fragmented. Known until recently from three mountain ranges, namely Cordillera Central, Sierra de Baoruco and Sierra de Neiba. It remains locally fairly common in the Dominican Republic on the Sierra de Baoruco, but is still only known from 11 localities there and in the Cordillera Central; it is thought to have been extirpated from the Sierra de Neiba (10 Latta, S., Rimmer, C., Keith, A., Wiley, J., Raffaele, H., McFarland, K. and Fernandez, E. (2006). Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Close ). Might conceivably occur in Haiti, but intensive habitat destruction there suggests that any hypothetical populations would probably by now have been wiped out, e.g. in Massif de la Selle and Massif du Nord (11 Keith, A. R., J. W. Wiley, S. C. Latta, and J. A. Ottenwalder (2003). The Birds of Hispaniola. Haiti and the Dominican Republic: An Annotated Checklist. BOU Check-list 21. British Ornithologists’ Union, Tring, UK. Close ); in 1920s, local people reported a rare grey quail-dove, near summit of Morne La Selle.