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!