(thing) by lolaleigh Sun Oct 27 2002 at 21:16:18
***The first in a series of birds local to my neck of the woods for all you birders out here in LA... (hehe, yeah right)***

    indentify:

    adults:

  • both male and female, similar in appearance, range 9-11 inches in length.
  • generally a medium sized dove with a very slender neck and a black bill. Pale buff-brown head, neck, breast, and belly.
  • Necks sporting purple and green irridescence as well as small black "beauty"mark on lower neck.
  • Medium brown back and upperwings, with large black spots on upperside of wing.
  • Tailtips, at the end of a long, dark brown, pointy tail, are white to outer four tail feathers.

    • juvenile:

  • Dark brown mottled head, neck and breast.
  • Scaly neck and upperwings with numerous black spots onupperside of wings and scapulars.
  • Pale belly.
  • Medium length tail is pointed at tip, with very little white.

    • call:

  • a low, gutteral "coo" sound.

    • Similar species:

  • Long pointed tail is distinctive for adults, while black spotting on upperside of wing and pale color help distinguish it from White-winged Dove and White-tipped Dove.
  • Juvenile is easily confused with Common Ground-Dove and Inca Dove, but is longer necked, shows a pointed tail with more white at edges and lacks cinnamon in primaries.

    • *certain information courtesy of www.laaudubon.com

I like it!

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