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White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Related to the Mourning Dove, but a larger and bulkier bird, the White-wing is mainly a summer resident in the southwestern states.
White-winged doves typically migrate into Arizona beginning in March. [3] In California, birds arrive in April and depart by August. Texas migrations run from April through June, peaking in May, and departures run September to October. [ 4 ]
When perched, this bird’s unspotted brown upperparts and neat white crescents along the wing distinguish it from the ubiquitous Mourning Dove. In flight, those subdued crescents become flashing white stripes worthy of the bird’s common name.
Migration is early in both seasons, most birds arriving by March and leaving in September. A few remain through winter north of the border, especially in suburban areas. Strays sometimes wander far north of breeding range.
Throughout their range White-winged Doves prefer places where nesting habitat is interspersed with feeding habitat, like grain fields or desert cactus communities. In the winter White-winged Doves are found throughout most of their breeding range as well as in the southeastern United States, and some individuals wander widely across the continent.
Migration. Resident or irregular, short-distance migrant. Populations in the southern U.S. mostly stay put in the winter, but some make movements following the breeding season—not just toward the south, but also eastward and westward toward the coasts, or even northward. Some move as far south as Central America.
When they migrate south for winter, both populations join resident White-winged Doves in semi-arid regions of thornscrub, deciduous dry forest, cacti forest, savannah, and agricultural and riparian areas with scattered trees.
