Bird Guide

Grey-fronted Dove vs Wonga Pigeon

Grey-fronted Dove (Leptotila rufaxilla)

Grey-fronted Dove

Leptotila rufaxilla

Medium157 gForest

The grey-fronted dove is about 28 cm (11 in) long and weighs 115 to 183 g (4.1 to 6.5 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies have a grayish to bluish forehead ("front"), a bluish gray crown, and a grayish purple nape and hindneck with some iridescence. The yellow or brown eye is surrounded by bare red skin that is itself surrounded by pinkish white feathers. The throat is also pinkish white and the rest of the face buff to pinkish buff. The upperparts are olive-brown with faint bronze or purplish on the mantle. Voice: The grey-fronted dove's song is "a single mournful monotonous note 'wooOOOoo' which fades in and out."

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Rajan Rao · CC BY 4.0
Wonga Pigeon (Leucosarcia melanoleuca)

Wonga Pigeon

Leucosarcia melanoleuca

Large429 gForest

The wonga pigeon is a large, plump pigeon that has a short neck, broad wings, and a long tail. Its length varies from 38 to 40 centimetres (15.2 to 16 inches). It has pastel blue-grey back feathers. The head fades to a creamy-white colour. The underside is white with dotted dark grey spots such that a white V can be seen on its chest. Their eyes are a dark red-brown colour and they have pink eye-rings that encircle them. Legs are red and the sexes appear identical but immature pigeons are browner with a less distinct V pattern. Voice: The call of the wonga pigeon is a loud, high-pitched 'coo' repeated over long periods of time for a number of seconds. When males are displaying mating, bowing occurs with a soft, trilling coo.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Jason Graham · CC0

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Grey-fronted Dove and Wonga Pigeon.