Common Ground Dove Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  Common Ground Doves are tiny doves with short, round wings, short tails, and short, thin bills. They are stocky, with short legs, and they shuffle as they walk.

  Relative Size

  About the same size as a House Sparrow; slightly smaller than an Inca Dove.

  between sparrow and robin

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 5.9-7.1 in (15-18 cm)
    • Weight: 1.0-1.4 oz (28-40 g)

  © Alex Lamoreaux / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Common Ground Doves are sandy brown overall, with large, dark spots on the wing coverts. In flight the wings show rich rufous patches. Males have a pinkish wash on the head, neck, and chest, and bluish crowns; females are duller. Both sexes have fine, dark scaling on the neck and chest, and pinkish-red bills with a dark tip.

• Behavior

  Common Ground Doves are relatively retiring, and usually hide in grasslands and small groves of trees. Males sing a series of quiet, moaning coos. Frequently seen on the ground at backyard bird feeders, Common Ground Doves eat seeds and grains, along with some insects.
• Habitat

  Common Ground Doves live in open or shrubby areas with tall grasses or groves of trees, including riparian corridors and open savannas. They also live in towns and suburbs, where they frequent yards and hedges.

Regional Differences

Common Ground Doves in the Southeast and Texas are darker and richer in color than the paler and grayer populations of the Southwest.

Regional Photos

© Volker Hesse / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, April 10, 2014

© Mike Sanders / Macaulay LibraryArizona, August 05, 2017