Picui Ground Dove

Columbina picui

Also known as: Picui Dove

About This Species

This small, pale dove is common in open grassland, scrub and cultivated land across much of South America, where it forages on bare ground in pairs or small groups, pecking at seeds and picking through leaf litter. Its scaled, sandy plumage and short tail make it easy to overlook until it flushes low with a quick wingbeat and a soft, repeated cooing call. It can be seen year-round, though early morning feeding activity on tracks, roadside verges and open fields is when it is most conspicuous.

Ethical Viewing Guidelines

As a common, adaptable ground feeder it tolerates moderate proximity in settled areas, but it is still best watched from a distance that lets it continue feeding undisturbed rather than approached directly.
General wildlife protection principles apply across its range, and rules on disturbance and hunting vary by country, so avoid assuming any single jurisdiction's law is universal.
Give nesting pairs, which build simple ground or low-shrub nests, extra space during the breeding season.

LCAvesColumbiformesColumbidae

Seasonal Activity

261,832 sightings · 2000–2026

Citizen science records via GBIF

All monthsThis month

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae

Photo

CC-BY-4.0

Occurrence data from GBIF.