The White-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica) is a bird of the Columbidae family that consists of doves and pigeons. It was first described by George Edwards in 1743, and given its binomial name by Linnaeus in 1756. White-winged doves inhabit a variety of environments and their call is likened to the English phrase "who cooks for you".
White-winged doves are brownish-gray above and gray below, with a bold white wing patch that appears as a brilliant white crescent in flight and is also visible at rest. Adults have a ring of blue, featherless skin around each eye and a long, dark mark on the lower face. They have a blue eye ring and their legs and feet are brighter pink/red. Their eyes are bright crimson, except for juveniles, which have brown eyes. Juveniles are duller and grayer than adults and lack iridescence. Juvenile plumage is usually found between March and October. Adult birds molt from June through November; they molt in the summer breeding grounds unless interrupted by migration.
White-winged doves are found from the Southwestern United States through Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. They are found increasingly farther north, now being visitors to most of the United States, and small parts of southern Canada. Some populations are migratory and winter in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. They are year-round inhabitants in Texas. White-winged doves prefer to live in woodlands, scrub, desert, urban, and cultivated areas. They especially like to nest near riparian areas.
White-winged doves are gregarious birds and often feed in large flocks. They may also practice collaborative feeding. Observations in Texas revealed that some birds were shaking seeds from a Chinese tallow tree for the benefit of those on the ground. White-winged doves also migrate in large flocks that may contain up to 4000 birds; in Texas, a flock of up to a million birds was recorded. These birds are active during the day and communicate with each other vocally. Their common call is described as a ‘hhhHEPEP pou poooo’, likening it to the English phrase "who cooks for you". They also make a ‘pep pair pooa paair pooa paair pooa’ call, with the last two words being repeated at length. Males sit on dedicated perches to give their call, which is referred to as a ‘coo’. Calling is most frequent during the breeding season, and peaks in May and June. Most calls are given just before dawn, or in the late afternoon. Females give a slightly softer and more slurred call than males. The purpose of calling is uncertain, but is mainly used for courtship and to defend territory. A shortened version of their song may be used between mates to maintain pair bonds. Nestlings can make noises starting at 2 days old; by 5 days old, they can whistle a ‘sur-ee’ call to beg for food. Additionally, individuals of both genders will use a muted trumpeting ‘errUah’ call to announce and contest presence on popular preening branches and bird feeders. Nonvocal sounds include a wing whistle at take-off, which is similar to that of the mourning dove, albeit quieter. Their wing beats are heavy, sounding similar to other pigeons. When leaving cooing perches, males make an exaggerated and noisy flapping of their wings.
White-winged doves have a herbivorous (granivorous, frugivorous, nectarivorous) diet, feeding on a variety of seeds, grains, and fruits. Western populations migrate into the Sonoran Desert to breed during the hottest time of the year because they feed on pollen and nectar, and later on the fruits and seeds of the saguaro. They also visit feeders, eating the food dropped on the ground. White-winged doves may fly 25 or more miles (40 km) to find water, though they can be sustained solely by the water in saguaro cactus fruit.
White-winged doves are monogamous breeders. Pairs and families often stay together for life, perching and foraging together. They return to the same nesting site year after year, sometimes rebuilding a nest in the exact location it was the year before. To impress females, males circle them with tail spread and wings raised, and also fan or flap their tails, or engage in cooing and preening. Males may aggressively defend territory from other males, sparring with wing slaps. Breeding occurs in two peaks in the summer, although the timing of their breeding varies by year. The peak breeding times occur from May-June to July-August. They build a flimsy stick nest in a tree of any kind and lay 2 cream-colored to white, unmarked eggs. The incubation period lasts 14-20 days. One chick often hatches earlier and stronger, so will demand the most food from the parents. Males attend to the nest for the majority of the day, except for foraging breaks during the midmorning and late afternoon while the female watches the nest. At night, females watch the nest, and the male roosts nearby. Juvenile feathers begin to replace the natal down by 7 days old. The pre-juvenile molt is complete around 30 days old. By early September, most of the adult birds have already begun the migration south. The young leave soon after. White-winged doves may nest as soon as 2-3 months after leaving the nest, making use of summer heat.
The expansion of humans has greatly affected the White-winged dove. The species suffered from the loss of large nesting colonies in the 1960s and 1970s from habitat destruction, shifts in agricultural trends, and overhunting. Historically, White-winged doves nested in enormous colonies, but most colonies have been lost due to human action and climatic factors, and most nesting is now isolated. These birds are hunted for sport and are the second most shot game bird in the United States. Lead poisoning, especially in hunting areas, also poses a significant risk to White-winged dove health. Climate change is expected to expand their range to the north, but will also threaten populations with increased drought and fire, which destroy habitat, and spring heatwaves, which can kill young White-winged doves in the nest.
According to IUCN Red List, the total population size of the White-winged dove is 19,000,000 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are increasing.
White-winged doves are important pollinators and seed dispersers of the saguaro cactus in their native ecosystem.
