Several other kinds of quail, particularly bobwhites (Colinus), are found in 
the Republic. e lives in the highlands near Nentén, another (Nigrogularia) is a 
resident of Peten savannas, a third is feund in the arid interior valleys of the upper 
Motagua and Baja Vera Paz, and a fourth, the spotted wood quail, inhabits the interior 
mountain forests up to about 6,500 feet. 
fwo other kinds, both bobwhites, are believed to occur in western Guatemala 
adjacent to Chiapas, as they have been recorded almost to the boundary. They are listed 
in this report as “hypothetical"® residents of the Republic. 
Doves and Pigeons 
Guatemala has « great variety of doves and pigeons, about twenty kinds in all, 
of which about fourteen can be classed as game birds. Of these, the ones most available 
to hunters from Guatemala City and other centers of population are the mourning dove 
( pacroura subsp.), white-winged deve (Zenaida asiatica subsp.), and red-billed 
pigeon (Columba flavirostris flavirostris). In the higher country, especially in some of 
the oak and pine forests, the band-tailed pigeon (Columba fasciata fasclata) is a common 
species. All of these birds occur in flocks during the period of October through March, 
especially with the arrival of large flights of mourning doves, white-winged doves, and 
reé=billed pigeons each fall and spring in parts of the Republic. 
Migrant mourning doves from the United Statee pase across the highlands and 
into the interior valley, as well as along the coasts. With fields so widespread in the 
Altos, mourning doves are of common occurrence in many localities, though nowhere in 
Guatemala are they as numerous as in central Mexico. 
Migrant eastern white-winged doves are chiefly to be found passing along the 
Pacific coastal plain enroute eastward in the fall and westward in the spring. Sone 
winter there, principally in stream valleys near grain raising areas. 
White-winged doves are resident in many localities in Guatemala, but most of 
them are of a geographic subspecies other than the one (Zenaida asiatica asiatica) which 
migrates from eastern México and southern Texas in large numbers and winters on the 
Pacific coastal plain, 
Red-—billed pigeons are generally abundant on the Pacific coastal plain, but no 
information was obtained as to how many of the flocks observed in flight were migrants 
from México. The species is a common breeder in the lowlands and piedmont of the Pacific 
drainage, so probably many of the wintering flocks are of resident individuals, 
. Phe hunting of these birds should be restricted to the larger species. The 
Killing of the smaller ones, such as the ground doves, Inca doves, and other so-called 
tortolas or tortolitas should be prohibited by law. Their value about the home and fara 
far outweighs that for food or sport. 
In general, the best deve hunting is available in and near the agricultural areas 
of the highlands and of the Pacific Coast. Dove hunting in the heavy forests is ordinarily 
not very successful because of the fewer birds and greater difficulties in shooting. 
The hunting season on doves and pigeons should be limited by law to the months of 
September through February, for during much of the remainder of the year the resident birds 
of this family are breeding. They lay only one or two eggs per clutch, and because of this 
low rate of repreduction do not increase their numbers as rapidly as many other game birds. 
This characteristic is an additional reason for protecting them by law during their breeding 
season. 
