Forest and Rangeland Birds of the United States

Natural History and Habitat Use

Common Ground-Dove -- Columbina passerina
(formerly Ground Dove)


RANGE: Resident from southern California, central Arizona, southern New Mexico, central Texas, the Gulf Coast, and South Carolina south to South America.

STATUS: Common, locally abundant.

HABITAT: Inhabits sparsely wooded areas with low undergrowth, roadsides, fields, orchards, sandy reefs, and open sandy areas in forest and Savannah; over much of its range, is now primarily around farms and towns. In Texas, occurs in grassy mesquite-live oak-cactus Savannah and to some extent scrubby juniper-oak areas; in Georgia and South Carolina, occurs mainly near beaches and sea islands with tall beach grass. In Arizona, inhabits river bottomlands with mesquite or tamarisk woods.

SPECIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS: Open areas with plants that produce small seeds.

NEST: Uses a wide range of sites for nesting. May nest in a slight hollow on the ground, in a low bush, or in a tree, up to 25 feet above the ground.

FOOD: Feeds primarily on small seeds gathered from gardens and lawns, along roadsides, in fields, weed patches, or grassy areas. Also takes a few berries and some insects.

REFERENCES: Bent 1932, Forbush and May 1955, Goodwin 1967, Oberholser 1974a, Phillips et al. 1964.


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