White-winged Dove

White-winged Doves are pale gray-brown with a black line on the cheek and a white stripe on the edge of the closed wing, which is striking to see in the middle of their dark wing in flight. They have bright-orange eyes with blue eyerings. Males and females look the same.

  • Zenaida asiatica
  • Length: 11 in (29 cm)
  • Weight: 4.4 – 6.6 oz (125 – 187 g)
  • Wingspan: 18.9 – 22.8 in (48 – 58 cm)

Range

White-winged Doves breed along the southern border with Mexico and are resident in Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies.  Those to the north of the range may move south towards the Gulf Coast or into Mexico for winter.

Habitat And Diet

You can find White-winged Doves in deserts, dense, thorny forests, woodlands, and urban and suburban areas. Their diet is mostly grain, fruits, and large seeds, and they forage on the ground.

White-winged Dove Call:

Nests

Nests of White-winged Doves are found on a tree branch under heavy shade. The male chooses the general territory while the female selects the actual nest site, usually in large ornamental trees, like pecan, live oak, and ash.

The male brings twigs, grasses, weeds, bark, feathers, and pine needles to the female who puts the nest together. She will then lay one to two eggs and incubate the eggs for fourteen to twenty days.

Attract White-winged Doves

Attract them to your yard with sunflower, corn, safflower, and milo on platform feeders. Also, plant native berry-producing shrubs.

Fun Fact:

White-winged Doves’ population decreased drastically due to the loss of habitat and hunting in the early twentieth century but their numbers have eventually picked up due to the presence of backyard feeders and hunting restrictions.