AnimaliaHighest rank in taxonomy. Groups all life into domains: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, etc.IUCN LCInternational Union for Conservation of Nature — the world authority on species extinction risk, using standardized criteria. — Least Concern — widespread and abundant; not at immediate risk of extinction.In ProgressCurrent stage of this record in the editorial review workflow. Recent Sighting
Leptotila verreauxi
White-tipped Dove
(Bonaparte, 1855)
Detailed Texts Multi-lang
The White-tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi) is a medium-sized, plump-looking columbid adapted for life on the forest floor. Its plumage is predominantly cryptic: the back and wings are a brownish olive-green to grayish-brown, while its chest has a soft vinaceous (pale pinkish) tone that fades into a white belly. Its most diagnostic feature, from which it derives its name, are the broad white tips on its outer tail feathers, which flash clearly when it takes flight. In flight, it also reveals a rufous-chestnut patch under the wings. Its face features a yellow or orange iris surrounded by an orbital ring of bare skin ranging from light blue to red. Its legs are red. It is a stealthy bird that prefers walking over flying.
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TaxonomyBiological classification ranks placing this species within the tree of life, from Kingdom down to Genus.
PhylumRank below Kingdom. Groups organisms sharing a fundamental body plan (e.g., Chordata = vertebrates and some invertebrates).Chordata
ClassRank below Phylum. Subdivides by structural traits (e.g., Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Insecta).Aves
OrderRank below Class. Groups related families sharing common ancestry (e.g., Carnivora, Primates).Columbiformes
FamilyRank below Order. Groups closely related genera (e.g., Felidae = cats, Canidae = dogs).Columbidae
GenusRank just above Species. The first word in the two-part binomial scientific name.Leptotila
Taxonomic AuthorityThe scientist who first formally described and published this species, followed by the year of publication.(Bonaparte, 1855)
Record Completeness
95%Coming soon
Ecology & StatusHow this species lives: habitat preferences, diet, behavior, population status, and role in its ecosystem.
OriginWhether the species is native (evolved here), endemic (found only here), or introduced by human activity.
Native
Population TrendDirection of change in population size over time: increasing, stable, decreasing, or unknown.
Stable
Breeding SeasonTime of year when this species typically reproduces or flowers.
Year Round
Trophic RolePosition in the food chain: producer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, decomposer, or parasite.
Herbivore
Recent SightingsWhether this species has been observed in the wild in Costa Rica within recent years.
Yes
Habitat SummaryOverview of the specific ecosystems and environments where this species is found in Costa Rica. Multi-lang
Unlike other forest doves, it avoids the dark, dense interior of mature primary forests. It prefers forest edges, dry deciduous forests, scrubby savannas, coffee plantations, dense secondary growth, and even suburban gardens and large parks. It spends most of its time foraging under the protective cover of shrubs. In Costa Rica, it is exceedingly abundant on the Pacific slope, the Central Valley, and the dry northwestern lowlands.BehaviourDaily activity patterns, movement, territory use, foraging style, and seasonal behavioral changes. Multi-lang
It is a bird of highly terrestrial and stealthy habits. It forages by walking slowly through the leaf litter under the thicket, rhythmically bobbing its head with each step. It searches for seeds, fallen berries, and minor insects by flipping leaves with its bill (they rarely use their feet to scratch). It avoids exposed open spaces; if it must cross a road, it does so by walking quickly. When it feels threatened and doesn't flush into flight, it 'freezes' in place, relying on its cryptic plumage.Social ActivitySocial structure: whether the species is solitary, paired, or colonial; hierarchy and communication. Multi-lang
It is a bird of markedly solitary habits. It is usually observed foraging alone, or in quiet pairs. It very rarely forms flocks, except when many doves congregate temporarily under a tree that is dropping abundant fruit or seeds.Feeding GuildWhat the species eats, how it forages or hunts, and its role as a consumer in the food web. Multi-lang
Herbivore / Ground forager.Trophic Chain DetailsSpecific interactions in local food webs: prey species, predators, competitors, and scavengers. Multi-lang
Herbivore / Strict Granivore. Its diet consists mainly of seeds (grasses and legumes), small fruits that fall to the ground, and crop shoots, although it ingests some insects incidentally. They are a very important prey for forest hawks (like the bicolored hawk or collared forest-falcon), owls, large snakes, coatis, and small felines (margay, ocelot).Reproductive BehaviourMating strategies, courtship displays, nesting or spawning behavior, and parental care. Multi-lang
They have a very prolonged breeding season. Like many doves, they build an extremely flimsy nest, a thin, untidy platform of dry twigs, which can often be seen through from below. It is placed in the branches of a dense shrub or low tree (usually between 1.5 and 3 meters off the ground). The female invariably lays 2 pure white eggs. Both parents share incubation (about 14 days) and feed the fragile squabs with crop milk. The chicks grow extraordinarily fast and leave the nest just 15 days after hatching.Physical Measures
Length (cm)
26.0 - 30.0 cm
Weight (Grams)
130 g - 180 g
Offspring per cycleTypical number of young (live births, eggs, or seeds) produced by one adult in a single reproductive event or breeding season.2 - 2
Sexual DimorphismObservable physical differences between males and females of the same species (e.g., size, coloration, features).No
Lifespan
Sexual MaturityAge at which the individual becomes capable of reproducing for the first time.
6 - 12 Months
Gestation / IncubationDuration from fertilization to birth (mammals) or to hatching (egg-laying species).
13 - 14
Lifespan EstimatedExpected duration of life from birth to natural death under wild conditions.
Males5 - 8 Years
Females5 - 8 Years
Evolutionary AdaptationsInherited traits and behaviors that improve the species' survival and reproduction in its specific environment. Multi-lang
Wing-whistle Alarm: Like many doves, when startled and taking flight suddenly, its wings produce a loud fluttering sound or dull whistle. This sudden noise serves to startle potential predators (like a cat or fox) for the fraction of a second the bird needs to escape.
Disruptive In-Flight Coloration: While walking, its color is dull and blends with the leaf litter. But when flying away startled, the bright white flash of its tail and the rufous underwings confuse the predator. When the dove lands and folds its wings, those bright colors disappear instantly, causing the predator to lose the visual track.
Main ThreatsDocumented pressures reducing the population: habitat loss, hunting, disease, climate change, and invasive species. Multi-lang
Domestic Predators: Because it is a bird that searches for food exclusively by walking on the ground and often nests low, it is highly vulnerable to predation by domestic cats and dogs in suburban and rural areas.
Hunting and Trapping: In some rural areas of Central America, white-tipped doves are hunted or trapped for human consumption or to be used as cage birds, although this practice has declined.
Interesting FactsSurprising or notable facts that highlight what makes this species unique or ecologically important. Multi-lang
Melancholy Bottle Call: Its call is one of the most iconic sounds of the Costa Rican countryside. It is a deep, hollow, and mournful 'who-o-o-o... ooooo' that sounds surprisingly similar to the sound made by blowing gently across the neck of an empty glass bottle.
Crop Milk: Like all doves and pigeons, the white-tipped dove does not feed its hatchlings insects. For the first few days, they regurgitate a thick, nutritious substance rich in fats and proteins secreted by their digestive tract, known as 'pigeon milk' or crop milk.