Columba zenaida, Bonap. J. A. N. Sc. V, 1825, 30.—Ib. Am. Orn. II, 1828, pl. xv.—Wagler, Isis, 1829, 744.—Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 625.—Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 354; V, 558, pl. clxii.—Ib. Birds Am. V, 1842, 1, pl. cclxxxi. Zenaida amabilis, Bon. List, 1838.—Ib. Consp. II, 1854, 82.—Gosse, Birds Jam. 1847, 307.—Reichenbach, Icones Av. “tab. 255.”—Gundlach, Cabanis’s Journ. 1856, 111.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 602.—Reich. Handb. Taub. 21, tab. 255, f. 2867, 2868; 254, f. 1412.—March, P. A. N. S. 1863, 352. Zenaida aurita, Gray, not Columba aurita of Lichtenstein (Z. maculata), nor of Temminck (Z. martinicana), fide Bonaparte.
Sp. Char. Wings very long, reaching to the terminal third of the tail. Above reddish-olive, variously glossed with gray; the top of the head and the under parts violet-purplish red, paler on the chin and throat. Inside of wings, and sides of body, blue; greater wing-coverts tinged with the same. Quills dark brown; the secondaries tipped with white. Inner tail-feathers like the back; the others blue above; all with a subterminal bar of black, beyond which the blue is lighter, assuming a whitish tint on the exterior feathers. Wing-coverts with concealed spots of black, which are more visible on the tertials; a spot of the same below the ear. Bill black. Feet yellowish. Length, 10.00; wing, 6.00; tail, 4.00.
94 ♂ ½ ½
Zenaida amabilis.
Hab. Florida Keys. Chiefly on or near Indian Key and the West Indies. Santa Cruz (Newton, Ibis, I, 253, eggs); Cuba (Cab. J. IV, III; Gundl. Rep. I, 1866, 301); Bahamas (Bryant, Pr. B. VII, 1859); Jamaica (Gosse, B. J. 317); Sombrero (Lawr. VIII, 99); Porto Rico (Bryant, B. P. 1866).
Among many specimens of this species before us is one from Mr. Audubon’s collection, probably procured in Florida. It must be much rarer now than formerly on the keys, as several collections of birds made on Indian Key do not include any specimens.
The Z. hypoleuca, Gray,[106] of South America, is very similar, but lacks any trace of the broad white bar at the end of the secondaries. There is more white on the tail, the feathers of which are narrower at the ends; besides, the colors generally are lighter, the crissum being creamy-white.
Habits. The Zenaida Dove was found by Mr. Audubon to be a transient visitor of the keys of East Florida, where, according to his observations, they made their first appearance among the islands around Indian Key about the 15th of April. There they continued to increase in numbers until October, when they all returned to the West India Islands, whence they came, and where they are most numerous. The males were observed to reach the keys in which they passed the summer to breed before the females, and were heard cooing, as if in search of their mates, at least a week before the arrival of the latter. They begin to lay their eggs about the first of May. When they leave, in their autumnal migrations, they depart in small groups by families.
These birds are said by Mr. Audubon to be Ground Doves in habit. Their flight resembles that of the so-called Ground Dove, and is seldom higher than the tops of the mangroves, and never to any considerable distance except during their migrations. Though they alight on trees with ease, and can walk well among their branches, they spend the greater portion of their time on the ground, and walk well there, walking or running in search of food with lightness and celerity, and invariably roost on the ground.