Key West Quail Dove

Key West Quail Dove
Geotrygon chrysia

MALE © W.Arendt

FEMALE © Jeff Downing

Distribution: found in the semi arid & humid woodland, scrub & forests of the Greater Antilles, Cuba, the Isle of Pines to Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Bahamas south to San Salvador & northern Caicos. Formerly found in the Florida Keys where it is a rare vagrant now.

Description: (Bonaparte 1855) Length 27-31 cm. Typical plump "quail dove" shape. Forehead just above bill has a narrow chestnut brown color; crown, nape & hindneck iridescent bluish green which extends onto the upper mantle & back where it is suffused with light amethyst to purplish red. Wing shields have light amethyst suffusion; remainder of wings flights & tail reddish-brown. Chin, throat & upper face white; sides of neck & breast greyish white with amethyst suffusion shading to the white belly; has a broad white stripe below eye bordered by reddish brown. Olive brown flanks & undertail coverts. Undertail reddish brown. Iris orange red, orange or yellow; orbital skin red; bill reddish purple with brownish tip; legs & feet bright coral red. Female typically duller & having less iridescence. Juvenile dull olive brown having dull cinnamon feather edges; no iridescence.

Voice:

Nesting: Clutch 2 buff or cream colored eggs; incubation 14 to 16 days; young fledge within two weeks. Young may leave the nest within 7-8 days. Data obtained from US fanciers keeping & propagating this species.

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