About Metriopelia ceciliae (R.Lesson, 1845)
The bare-faced ground dove, Metriopelia ceciliae (R.Lesson, 1845), is 16 to 17 cm (6.3 to 6.7 in) long and weighs approximately 66 g (2.3 oz). The nominate subspecies has brown or grayish brown upperparts. White or buffy feather tips create a spotted appearance across its upperparts. Its neck and breast are gray with a reddish or pinkish tinge, and its belly is buffy. The outer tail feathers are black with white tips. Its eye is blue or bluish white, surrounded by bare yellow to orange skin, which is in turn surrounded by narrow black feathers. Male and female plumage are essentially the same, though the female's breast has less pink coloration. Juveniles have similar plumage to adults. The subspecies M. c. obsoleta is paler and grayer than the nominate subspecies, while M. c. zimmeri is darker and browner, and has a yellow to blue eye. For distribution, the nominate subspecies occurs in western Peru, M. c. obsoleta occurs in northern Peru, and M. c. zimmeri occurs in southern Peru, western Bolivia, northern Chile, and northwestern Argentina. Bare-faced ground doves live in arid and semi-arid landscapes with sandy soil and sparse vegetation. In higher elevation areas, they frequent human habitations, apparently because the surrounding countryside is treeless. They are also common in major urban areas such as Lima. Their elevation range is generally between 2,000 and 4,500 m (6,600 and 14,800 ft), but they can be found at much lower elevations in western Peru.
