Metriopelia melanoptera
The Black-winged Ground Dove (*Metriopelia melanoptera*) is a small, captivating member of the Columbidae family, endemic to the high Andean regions of South America. Measuring approximately 19-23 cm (7.5-9.1 in) in length and weighing 50-77 g (1.8-2.7 oz), its most striking identifying feature is the contrast of its jet-black primary wing feathers with a prominent white wing-bar, particularly conspicuous in flight. The rest of its plumage is a subtle brownish-grey, often paler on the underpa...
This dove predominantly inhabits arid to semi-arid high-altitude grasslands, shrublands, and rocky slopes of the Andes, typically found between 2,000 and 4,500 meters (6,500-14,800 feet) above sea level, sometimes ranging lower or higher.
Primarily granivorous, its diet consists almost entirely of small seeds gleaned directly from the ground, including agricultural crops and native grasses; occasionally supplements with small invertebrates.
The Black-winged Ground Dove is a highly gregarious and diurnal species, frequently observed foraging on the ground in flocks that can swell to hundreds of individuals outside the breeding season, offering increased vigilance against predators. Its foraging strategy involves a deliberate walk, gl...
The Black-winged Ground Dove is widely distributed throughout the Andean mountain chain of South America, extending from southern Colombia, through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, and continuing south into Chile and west-central Argentina. It is a resident species across this expansive range, primari...
Least Concern
- The Black-winged Ground Dove is a master of high-altitude living, regularly found at elevations over 4,500 meters (14,800 feet) where oxygen is thin and temperatures are extreme. - Its striking jet-black primary flight feathers, contrasted with a bright white wing-bar, make it one of the most e...