About Columbina picui (Temminck, 1813)
The Picui ground dove, scientific name Columbina picui (Temminck, 1813), measures 18 cm (7.1 in) in length and weighs between 42 and 59 g (1.5 to 2.1 oz). The nominate adult male has whitish forehead and throat, with a narrow black stripe running in front of the eye. Its crown and nape are gray, which transitions to brownish gray on the shoulders, back, rump, and central tail feathers. The folded wing shows pinkish fawn coloring, with two white bands bordered by black. The neck and breast are pinkish gray, and the belly is white. The adult female has duller overall coloration with less pink; these visible differences are faint to human observers, but there are significant differences in ultraviolet reflectance, which birds are thought to be sensitive to. Juveniles are duller and browner than adult birds. The subspecies C. p. strepitans has grayer upperparts and wings, with less pink, than the nominate subspecies. For distribution and habitat, the nominate subspecies of Picui ground dove is widely distributed east of the Andes in eastern and southern Bolivia, Paraguay, and southern Brazil; its range extends south through Uruguay and most of Argentina, and it also occurs west of the Andes in central Chile. It winters as far north as eastern Peru. C. p. strepitans occupies a smaller range in several states of northeastern Brazil. The Picui ground dove primarily inhabits arid landscapes. These include forest edges, savannas with scattered trees and other cover, mesquite scrub forest, suburbs, gardens, and cultivated lands. In northwestern Argentina, it can be found at elevations up to 3,000 m (9,800 ft), and in Bolivia it occurs up to 3,700 m (12,100 ft). Across most other parts of its range, it is seldom found above 1,250 m (4,100 ft).
