Family Pigeons, Doves (Columbidae)

Least Concern

Buff-fronted Quail-dove (Zentrygon costaricensis)

figure, drawing, illustration of Buff-fronted Quail-dove (Zentrygon costaricensis)

Taxonomy

French: Colombe du Costa Rica German: Costa-Rica-Taube Spanish: Paloma perdiz costarricense
Other common names: Costa Rican Quail-dove
Taxonomy:

Geotrygon costaricensis

Lawrence

, 1868,

Costa Rica

.

Similar to Z. lawrencii and Z. carrikeri and probably related. Monotypic.

Distribution:

Costa Rica and W Panama (E to Veraguas).

Descriptive notes

Male 24–28·5 cm, 310–330 g; female 25 cm, 225–283 g. Forehead buff or pinkish buff; crown, nape and occiput slate grey; hindneck greenish; upperparts... read more

Voice

Song is a single clearly overslurred note 'woOoh', with a clear emphasis in the middle.... read more

Habitat

Montane evergreen forest, preferring higher elevations and wetter conditions. Occurs at 1000–... read more

Food and feeding

Takes fruits, seeds and probably insects, gathered from the leaf litter. Forages on ground, singly or in loosely associated pairs.

Breeding

One nest in Costa Rica in late Jun. Nest was of green mosses and liverworts resting on a platform of coarse twigs, 4 m up on a shrub... read more

Movements

Resident.

Status and conservation

Not globally threatened. In Costa Rica, most abundant on Caribbean slope at 1500–2000 m and on Pacific slope from 2000–2500 m. In Panama, considered rare in... read more

Recommended citation

Baptista, L.F., Trail, P.W., Horblit, H.M. & Boesman, P. (2020). Buff-fronted Quail-dove (Zentrygon costaricensis). 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/54242 on 22 January 2020).