White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Zenaida (named for Princess Zénaïde Bonaparte) asiatica (Asian - erroneously)

 

White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Zenaida asiatica australis
Weight: 150g/kg  /  Length: 29cm  /  Wingspan: 48-58cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A widespread and common species whose core range forms a triangle between Southern California, the Lesser Antilles and Costa Rica. They are are versatile species habitat wise with them adapting well to human habitation, but also deserts through to tropical forests. They are a popular target for hunters, being the second most shot bird species in the USA with over a million shot annually in Texas alone, but despite this their range is expanding.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Zenaida
SUBSPECIES: Z. a. asiatica, Z. a. australis, Z. a. mearnsi
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Paloma de alas blancas ("White-winged Dove")

Found on West Coast
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

OTHER NAMES: American Mourning Dove, Rain Dove, Turtle Dove
Latin Etymology: Zenaida (named for Princess Zénaïde Bonaparte) macroura ("long tailed")

Mourning Dove (subspecies Z. m. marginella) at San Jose, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Zenaida macroura marginella
Weight: 112-170g  /  Length: 31cm  /  Wingspan: 37-45cm
NO UK STATUS/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern

One of the most ubiquitous species across the entire Lower 48 states of the USA, the mourning dove is a familiar small pigeon whose name derives from its somewhat melancholy call. This success is in part aided by the fact that they are incredibly prolific breeders - given suitably comfortable habitats they have been known to raise six broods in a season, allowing them to still increase despite their high mortality rate - it is believed 20 million are shot annually by human hunters alone!

Related Species:
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Zenaida
SUBSPECIES: Z. m. marginella, Z. m. carolinensis, Z. m. macroura, Z. m. clarionensis, Z. m. turturilla

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
A widespread and abundant species resident in much of the country, and breeding visitor to the majority of the rest.
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Berkeley, San Jose, Monterey and San Francisco

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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