Leptotila megalura
The Yungas Dove (Leptotila megalura) is a medium-sized and rather secretive ground-dove endemic to the montane forests of Bolivia and Argentina. Typically measuring 28-30 cm (11-12 in) in length and weighing between 110-150 grams (3.9-5.3 oz), its plumage is subtly beautiful, featuring a greyish-blue crown, transitioning to a purplish-pink on the nape and upper mantle, with a softer pinkish-cinnamon on the breast and flanks, and a clean white belly. Distinctive field marks include iridescent ...
Primarily inhabits subtropical and tropical moist montane forests, often favoring forest edges, secondary growth, or dense undergrowth, typically found between 800 and 2,500 meters in elevation.
Feeds primarily on seeds, fallen fruits, and small invertebrates, which it gleans from the leaf litter on the forest floor. Its primary foraging method involves scratching and probing through ground vegetation.
The Yungas Dove is a predominantly terrestrial species, usually observed foraging solitarily or in pairs on the forest floor during daylight hours, walking slowly and methodically. When startled, it typically freezes or takes flight with a characteristic, noisy wing clatter before quickly gliding...
The Yungas Dove is endemic to the humid montane forests, or Yungas, of the central Andes in South America. Its distribution extends from central Bolivia southward through western Argentina, primarily inhabiting the eastern slopes of the Andes mountains. Key regions include departments such as San...
Least Concern
- Its scientific name, Leptotila megalura, literally translates to "slender-tailed large-tail," emphasizing its most distinctive physical feature. - Like many doves, the Yungas Dove produces "crop milk," a nutrient-rich secretion from its crop lining, to feed its altricial chicks. - The iridescen...