Small, stocky dove with short stubby wings. Eastern adult male: pale whitish head with light bluish-gray crown. Red eye. Short, small, all-gray bill. Bright rufous body. Bright rufous wings with black edging to wingtips and purplish-black spots on wing coverts and scapulars. Bright rufous tail with black edges. Red legs. Eastern adult female: similar to male, except paler overall with much duller rufous. Western adult male: similar to Eastern female. Western adult female: similar to Western male, but plumage is entirely grayish-brown, and usually shows white margins on greater coverts. Juvenile: similar to Western female, but duller. In flight: all ages and sexes show bright rufous primaries, bright rufous under-wings smudged in black, and extensive black on edges of tail with tiny white tail corners (except Eastern male, which shows rufous corners on tail.) Similar species: Common Ground-Dove, which have spots on wing coverts but not scapulars, and has pinkish base to bill, shorter tail and neck, all rufous under-wing, less black on tail and scaly crown, nape, throat, and breast.

Length: 17 (cm) Wingspan: 28 (cm)

Habitat:

Lowland, arid, open areas with dense scrub; forest edges; riparian thickets, and agricultural areas.

Behavior:

Forages on ground. Nests and roosts in dense thickets or trees. Often roosts in flocks.

Feeding:

Diet consists of seeds, fruits and insects.