Blue-headed Quail-Dove Starnoenas cyanocephala Scientific name definitions

The Blue-headed Quail-dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) is an endemic terrestrial dove found on the island of Cuba. It is a resident non-migratory species considered to be endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN 2010).
It is the only species in the monotypic genus Starnoenas. It co-occurs with three of its Geotrygon relatives (Geotrygon chrysia, G. montana & G. caniceps). It is the only quail-dove species in Cuba that is both endemic and considered to be endangered. It is a ground dwelling species mainly found on the ground walking through its evergreen and semi-deciduous forest habitat foraging for fruits and arthropods. If not on the ground it will occasionally be found on low perches calling for its mate or will fly up a short distance to flee a predator. Sexes are alike having a cinnamon color body and a white cheek stripe common in other quail-dove species, but are distinguished by a black eye line, cobalt blue head and black bib outlined in white. It is also set apart from other quail-doves by the hexagonal scales on the front part of its reddish legs. Juveniles are pale in color and lack the black eye line found in adults. Breeding pairs are socially monogamous and defend territories during the breeding season. Nests are usually located on tree trunks and made of loosely placed twigs lined with freshly fallen leaves. Nesting data however remains deficient. Blue-headed Quail-doves have been seen in pairs or groups during the dry winter months and have been seen near water sources either in forest interiors or in urban gardens. It is believed that the blue-headed Quail-dove once roamed much of Cuba but with less than 20% of Cubas forests remaining, its restricted range and anthropogenic pressures make this species a conservation priority.

Male 29–34·5 cm, female 29–34 cm; 213–289 g (1 Garrido, O.H. (2005). Status of the blue-headed quail-dove Starnoenas cyanocephala (Aves: Columbiformes) at Key West, Florida. Solenodon. 5: 79-90. Close , 2 Jiménez, A., I. García-Lau, A. González, L. Mugica, and M. Acosta (2014) Valores de masa corporal de 183 especies de aves cubanas. Revista Cubana de Ciencias Biológicas 3:22–42. Close ). Forehead and crown bright blue bordered by black line from rictus to and behind eye, and joining on nape; white stripe below this; face and throat black extending to form a black bib edged with white; pinkish-purple breast becoming olive-brown, tinged purple on sides and back of neck and mantle; belly and rest of plumage buffy brown to dark brown, darkest on primaries; outer tail feathers slate-grey; bill red basally, pale blue terminally; tarsus deep red, legs and feet pinkish. Sexes basically alike, but female has reduced bloom to hindeck and breast in breeding season (3 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 ). Juvenile duller than adult, back, scapulars and wing feathers narrowly edged buff-brown (3 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 ), while breast feathers also have some buff fringing (3 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 ); blue on head is duller, and legs and feet dull red (3 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 ).

Probably related to Geotrygon, and sometimes included within that genus. However, external morphology, anatomy and behavior appear to indicate that present species is extremely anomalous in comparison with all other New World genera of Columbidae and that it presents a mosaic of characters shared with various genera in Australasia, being perhaps most similar to the Australian genus Geophaps and related terrestrial pigeons (4 Olson, S.L. and Wiley, J.W. (2016). The Blue-headed Quail-Dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala): an Australasian dove marooned in Cuba. Wilson J. Orn.. 128(1): 1–21. Close ). Monotypic.

Cuba; formerly also I of Pines. Also recorded in S Florida in past, but probably only as vagrant. Repeatedly introduced to Jamaica in the past, but never established there.

Mainly in undergrowth of lowland forest including wet swamps, occasionally in highlands up to at least 500 m (3 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 ); apparently requires areas with thick overhead cover but an open forest floor, preferably with stony substrate and substantial leaf litter. Usually favours drier areas than those used by Geotrygon caniceps, with which it occurs sympatrically.

No recent evidence of any movements, and assumed to be essentially resident. Reported from Florida Keys (Key West and Key Biscayne) (1 Garrido, O.H. (2005). Status of the blue-headed quail-dove Starnoenas cyanocephala (Aves: Columbiformes) at Key West, Florida. Solenodon. 5: 79-90. Close ) in first half of 19th century, and may have occurred there accidentally; however, it has been suggested that breeding population formerly existed on Key West, based on Audubon’s observations in 1832, whereas record on Key Biscayne must refer either to deliberate introduction or an escapee (1 Garrido, O.H. (2005). Status of the blue-headed quail-dove Starnoenas cyanocephala (Aves: Columbiformes) at Key West, Florida. Solenodon. 5: 79-90. Close ); it certainly seems unlikely that Starnoenas wandered to either island as a natural vagrant. Prefers to run, rather than fly, from perceived danger. Regularly visits water to drink (3 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 ).

Takes seeds, berries and snails, as well as insects, grubs and caterpillars (3 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 ); also invades pea plantations. Mostly terrestrial , feeding in undergrowth and leaf litter (3 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 ), usually in pairs (occasionally small groups, with up to 15 observed visiting a waterhole in mid-1990s) (5 Mitchell, A. and Wells, L. (1997). The threatened birds of Cuba project report. Cotinga. 7: 69–71. Close ) and sometimes at edges and on tracks (3 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 ).

Song is series of short, hollow, disyllabic notes, “whooo-up” or “hoooo-up”, with distinct upward inflection on last syllable, repeated every 2–4 seconds and ending abruptly (3 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 ). During breeding season, male may call from low perch for long periods at virtually any time of day (3 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 ).

Mainly Mar–Jun (6 Garrido, O. H., and A. Kirkconnell (2000). Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, USA. Close ). Simple nest (dimensions 15–21 cm × 10–12 cm, depth 1·5 cm) (7 Kirkconnell, A. and González, O. (2008). The nest of a rare Cuban endemic, Blue-headed Quail-Dove Starnoenas cyanocephala. Cotinga. 30: 79–80. Close ) of twigs lined with rootlets (3 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 ), built in low shrubbery or on the ground, sheltered by bushes or among tree-roots; also recorded building atop tree stump (3 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 ) or on horizontal branch in or adjacent to (7 Kirkconnell, A. and González, O. (2008). The nest of a rare Cuban endemic, Blue-headed Quail-Dove Starnoenas cyanocephala. Cotinga. 30: 79–80. Close ) arboreal Tillandsia epiphytes, usually < 1·75 m above ground (3 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 ), but occasionally 6–8 m off the ground (7 Kirkconnell, A. and González, O. (2008). The nest of a rare Cuban endemic, Blue-headed Quail-Dove Starnoenas cyanocephala. Cotinga. 30: 79–80. Close ). Clutch 1–2 dull white to creamy and slightly glossy eggs (7 Kirkconnell, A. and González, O. (2008). The nest of a rare Cuban endemic, Blue-headed Quail-Dove Starnoenas cyanocephala. Cotinga. 30: 79–80. Close ), size 31·2–35·15 mm × 20·86–23·65 mm, mass 7·5–10·5 g (7 Kirkconnell, A. and González, O. (2008). The nest of a rare Cuban endemic, Blue-headed Quail-Dove Starnoenas cyanocephala. Cotinga. 30: 79–80. Close ); incubation 17 days (7 Kirkconnell, A. and González, O. (2008). The nest of a rare Cuban endemic, Blue-headed Quail-Dove Starnoenas cyanocephala. Cotinga. 30: 79–80. Close ); nestling (mass 8 g shortly after hatching) has dark pinkish skin and long, whitish-buff down; (7 Kirkconnell, A. and González, O. (2008). The nest of a rare Cuban endemic, Blue-headed Quail-Dove Starnoenas cyanocephala. Cotinga. 30: 79–80. Close ) fledging period unknown (3 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 ).

ENDANGERED. Extirpated from I of Pines, where formerly occurred in Caballo Mts, although always rare. Population currently estimated at 600–1700 mature individuals within overall range of 28,500 km. Formerly common and widespread on mainland Cuba; significant declines due to excessive poaching and habitat destruction were already evident in mid-19th century, and were the widespread trend by early 1920s, with introduced predators probably also contributing to downward trend (3 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 ). Species now rare and generally localized in distribution; in 1980s and 1990s, only appeared to occur in significant numbers in forested areas in vicinity of Zapata Swamp; in lesser numbers on Guanahacabibes Peninsula and in La Güira National Park, Pinar del Río, with a handful of recent records from elsewhere in far W of main island, the C provinces (e.g. Sierra de Escambray) (8 Rompré, G., Aubry, Y. and Kirkconnell, A. (1999). Notes on some Cuban birds. Cotinga. 11: 31–33. Close ) and the Oriente (6 Garrido, O. H., and A. Kirkconnell (2000). Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, USA. Close ). Species is much appreciated for eating; this and other species of quail-dove trapped using pyramidal wooden cage baited with an orange seed or by calling birds to a decoy and then netting them.