Family Pigeons, Doves (Columbidae)

Least Concern

Bridled Quail-dove (Geotrygon mystacea)

figure, drawing, illustration of Bridled Quail-dove (Geotrygon mystacea)

Taxonomy

French: Colombe à croissants German: Schnurrbarttaube Spanish: Paloma perdiz de Martinica
Taxonomy:

Columba mystacea

Temminck

, 1811,

Caribbean

.

Like most of congeners, formerly placed in genus Oreopeleia. Probably closely related to G. chrysia. Races proposed include sabae (Saba) and beattyi (St Croix). Monotypic.

Distribution:

Puerto Rico and Virgin Is through most of Lesser Antilles from Saba and Barbuda S to St Lucia (absent from Anguilla, Barbados, St Vincent, Grenadines and Grenada); recently recorded in St Martin#R.

Descriptive notes

Male 24–30 cm, female 27·5 cm; 230 g. Similar to G. chrysia in appearance but duller and darker, with dark olive brown upperparts, and chestnut... read more

Voice

Advertising call is a repeated, single, low-pitched cooing note (duration c. 1–1·5 seconds, pitch c... read more

Habitat

Lowland woodland and rain forest up to 700 m; appears to select drier localities than G.... read more

Food and feeding

Feeds on seeds and snails. Forages on the ground.

Breeding

Peak breeding in May–Jul, with lesser peak in Oct–Dec. Nest placed low in undergrowth; several flimsy nests of twigs with a few... read more

Movements

Mainly resident; vagrants have been recorded on Culebra (off E Puerto Rico) and St Martin.  read more

Status and conservation

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). The intact mature moist forests of St. John, US Virgin Islands, may sustain one of the most important existing populations. Rare and... read more

Recommended citation

Baptista, L.F., Trail, P.W., Horblit, H.M., Boesman, P. & Garcia, E.F.J. (2020). Bridled Quail-dove (Geotrygon mystacea). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/54253 on 30 March 2020).