588 GAME BIBDS OF CALIFOBNIA 



daily, weekly, and possible seasonal bag limit should be closely 

 restricted and absolutely no sale of this bird permitted. With proper 

 care the Band-tailed Pigeon may be perpetuated as an important 

 item in the game resources of California ; it rests almost entirely with 

 the people of tliis state to decide whetlitM- or not this end will be 

 realized. 



Western Mourning Dove 



Ze)ui\dura macrouru margiiuIJa (Woodhouse) 



Other names — Dove ; Commou Dove ; Wild Dove ; Cooing Dove ; Eain Dove ; 

 Carolina Dove; Carolina Turtle Dove; Turtle Dove; Zenaidura macroura caro- 

 liue7isis; Zenaidura caroUnensis; Columba carolincnsis ; Ectopistes caroUnensis ; 

 Zenaidura macroura. 



Description — Adu't male: Front and sides of head liglit yellowisli brown; 

 top and back of head bluisli slate ; chin pale buffy or whitish ; small spot below 

 ear, iridescent dark blue; upper eyelid dusky, lower one yellow; bill black; iris 

 browni; hind neck grayish broAvn, Avith broad area at side showing pinkish purple 

 iridescence ; rest of upper surface chiefly olive brown, a feAv of the tertials 

 marked near ends with large black patches ; tail elongated and pointed ; long cen- 

 tral pair of tail feathers in color like back ; next outer pair bluish gi'ay crossed 

 near end by a black band; the rest dark bluish gray (black below) near base, 

 succeeded by black cross band, near end, and broadly tipped with white ; outer- 

 most tail feather showing white outer web; outer surface of closed wing (coverts) 

 like back, becoming bluish gray at edge of wing; flight feathers chiefly bluish 

 gray, but becoming brownish on tips and inner margins; lining of wing and 

 axillars, ashy blue; under surface of flight feathers dull brown; throat and whole 

 breast, pale pinkish brown ; rest of under surface liglit yellowish brown, palest 

 on under tail coverts ; sides pale ashy blue like lining of Aving ; feet lake red. 

 Adult f em-ale : Like male but Avith iridescent markings sonieAA-hat reduced ; bluish 

 slate on head replaced largely by l)roAA-n ; throat and breast chiefly pale buffy 

 broAvn. Males: Total length 12.00-12.75 inches (305-324 mm.) (ten specimens); 

 folded wing 5.78-6.13 (146.8-155.6); bill 0.49-0.57 (12.5-14.5); tarsus 0.77-0.87 

 (19.5-22.0) (ten specimens) ; A\-eight 4.28 oz. (121 gm.) (one specimen). Females: 

 Total length 11.25-12.00 (286-305) (three specimens) ; folded AA-ing 5.40-5.82 

 (137.0-147.9); bill 0.49-0.55 (12.5-14.0); tarsus 0.77-0.84 (19.6-21.4) (ten 

 specimens) ; Aveight 3.98 oz. (105.1 gm.) (one specimen) ; all from California. 

 Juvenile plumage: Similar to adult male, but A\dth colors much duller and irides- 

 cence Avanting; feathers of upper surface lightly tipjjed Avith AA'hite ; chin Avhite; 

 top of head and ear region flecked AA-ith dusky ; edge of AA'ing scaled AA-ith AA'hitish ; 

 breast drab, Avith lighter feather-tippings. 



M.A.RKS FOR FIELD IDENTIFICATION — Moderate size (decidedly smaller than 

 domestic pigeon), conspicuously pointed and AA'hite margined tail (fig. 89), pale 

 yelloAvish or pinkish broAvn under surface, and lack of Avhite on Aving. The mourn- 

 ful cooing note, and the Avhistling produced as the bird takes flight, are also 

 distinctiA'e. 



Voice — A series of four melloAV, yet far-rcacliiiig notes, nli-coo-rao-cno, repeated 

 at irregular intervals. 



Xest — On the ground, or in 1)us1k's (»r trees, soiiietimes as high as forty feet 

 aboA-e the ground, but usually six to eight feet up; a loose, flat structure, of 



