Family: Columbidae, Pigeons and Doves view all from this family

Description 12" (30 cm). A brownish-gray dove with blackish wings that have a broad diagonal white bar; rounded tail has whitish corners noticeable in flight.

Habitat Open country with dense thickets of shrubs and low trees; also in suburban and agricultural areas.

Nesting 2 cream-buff eggs in a frail platform of loose twigs in low bushes.

Range Breeds in southwestern United States and southern Texas. Winters south of United States; small numbers on Gulf Coast east to Florida. Also in American tropics.

Voice   Drawn out hooo-hooo-ho-hooo or who-cooks-for-you.

Discussion Many northern species of pigeons and doves are seed eaters, but tropical species feed primarily on fruit. The White-winged Dove enjoys both: In the desert its main seasonal food is the fruit of cacti; elsewhere it supplements its seed diet with berries. In some areas, these doves nest in huge colonies covering many acres. When the birds rise, flashing their conspicuous white wing patches, they are a handsome sight.