DOVE 6/9 - Little Cuckoo Dove

Little Cuckoo Dove

This dove is not really that small at 29cm or a footer. It is a common dove to see in the many submontane forest in peninsula Malaysia. Apparently there are 8 races of this subspecies Ours is the Malayana.

It's head & nape is cinnamon; neck & upper mantle vaguely glossed green & lilac, some feather shaving dark subterminal bars. Mantle to rump dark brown, very obscurely barred on the mantle. Wing shields blackish brown with broad chestnut fringes. Flight feathers blackish brown. central tail feathers dark brown with bold dark black subterminal band. Throat pale yellow buff, rest of underparts cinnamon shading into chestnut on the undertail coverts, flanks & wing lining. breast tinged vinous & many feathers of the breast & upper belly with broad creamy buff tips giving a mottled appearance. iris greyish white to bluish white. Eye cere dark grey; bill brown at base blackish tip; legs & feet coral red.

 Female: differs from male in the dark chestnut crown is spotted with black mostly on the forehead. Neck yellow buff barred black & lacking iridescence. Wing coverts more broadly fringed chestnut. Ear coverts yellow buff speckled black. Throat pale buff with feathers around it edged blackish. Upper breast feathers pale basally, blackish laterally & subterminally & variably tipped chestnut which gives a mottled appearance. Belly more yellow rufous vaguely barred. Bill blacker than in male; feet & legs duller purplish red. Juvenile: similar to females but having a more barred & mottled appearance.

Nesting: single buff, cream or white egg laid; incubation 12-17 days; fledgling another couple of weeks.