Friday, September 19, 2014

Common Ground-Dove Visitors


There are a couple of small Common Ground-Doves that frequently visit our front yard.  I enjoy watching them walk (they actually shuffle) with their little pink heads bobbing back and forth. They're so small they can easily hide in the tall grassy part of the yard so I often spot them when they're foraging on seeds which have fallen from the feeders. 


About the size of a Song Sparrow, the Common Ground-Dove is one of the smallest doves in North America.  It's easy to see the size difference when comparing their size to other doves- the photo above is the same (adult) Common Ground-Dove standing in front of an adult Mourning Dove.  


I rarely see the Common Ground-Dove at the actual feeders, but occasionally they will shuffle along the wooden porch ledge and pick up some of their favorite seeds. Most of the time they forage on the ground below the feeders.  The ground dove’s main weapon against predators is concealment: hiding in vegetation or simply blending into the dusty ground.  Because it nests and feeds on the ground, this small dove lives in constant danger of predation from animals like bobcats, opossums, raccoons, skunks, foxes, dogs, cats, and snakes. Birds hunt it too, including crows, jays, blackbirds, owls, hawks, falcons, and shrikes.  With so many predators, I think I'd stay hidden too!



7 comments:

  1. Oh wow! They are tiny for doves! We only have morning doves around our place, but I love to listen to them coo! Great shots.

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  2. Good morning Susan, this is a lovely little dove. I have never seen one like this before. We get lots of the morning doves and I was surprised at its size. Thanks so much for the comparison shots. Lovely photographs!

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  3. wow, they really are tiny! don't get them here. they're lovely!

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  4. i get them as well and you described their activities perfectly. beautiful snaps.....and why are they considered "common".....they are so pretty. perhaps common refers to the sheer number of birds!!!

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  5. Thanks for showing us the difference in size...:)JP

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  6. I've never seen them before , they look like a bit like small slightly more colorful version of the morning dove. Great shots of them.

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  7. They're lovely! I didn't know there are doves that small.

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