White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

In the USA, the White-Tipped Dove appears only in south Texas, but it is the most numerous dove in the Americas. Outside of southern Texas these birds range south through the eastern and western coastal slopes of Mexico, Central America and much of South America. These birds spend a lot of their time wandering over the ground through dense undergrowth, foraging on seeds, fruits, and insects.

Today, science recognised 12 subspecies of White-Tipped Dove. The more common ones are:

L. v. verreauxi – Lives from Nicaragua to Venezuela
L. v. angelica – Lives from southern Texas to coastal Mexico
L. v. decolor – Lives from Colombia to Peru
L. v. brasiliensis – Lives in northern South America and the northern Amazon basin
L. v. decipiens – Lives in central South America

While visiting Texas in the spring of 2020, Laguna Atascosa provided my only meetings with White-Tipped Doves. Before I laid eyes on them, I heard their strange moaning calls. Not being familiar with this species, it took me a while to link the sounds to these doves. During my second trip to Texas in the winter and spring of 2021, I found them at several other locations in south Texas.

White-Tipped Dove - Leptotila verreauxi — **White-Tipped Dove**
*(Leptotila verreauxi)*

**Description:**
When first I heard the moaning call of these birds, I was confused about who the singer was. I found them the most numerous dove on the reserve. Atascosa NWR was a short drive from my camp in Brownsville, Texas, and remained open during the COVID-19 crisis, when many other nearby birding hotspots shut down.
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**Date Taken:** 2020:04:20 9:54

**Location:**

Atascosa NWR
Los Fresnos, Texas
United States
26.25 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 420 mm, f/8.0, 1/500

**File Name:** WhiteTippedDove_D504109-Atascosa-NWR-1

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Pin It — **White-Tipped Dove**
*(Leptotila verreauxi)*

**Description:**
When first I heard the moaning call of these birds, I was confused about who the singer was. I found them the most numerous dove on the reserve. Atascosa NWR was a short drive from my camp in Brownsville, Texas, and remained open during the COVID-19 crisis, when many other nearby birding hotspots shut down.
Read More

**Date Taken:** 2020:04:20 9:54

**Location:**

Atascosa NWR
Los Fresnos, Texas
United States
26.25 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D500, 420 mm, f/8.0, 1/500

**File Name:** WhiteTippedDove_D504109-Atascosa-NWR-1

© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

When first I heard the moaning call of these birds, I was confused about who the singer was. I found them the most numerous dove on the reserve. Atascosa NWR was a short drive from my camp in Brownsville, Texas, and remained open during the COVID-19 crisis, when many other nearby birding hotspots shut down.

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

When not exploiting the food at the feeding station, these doves skulked through the thick brush under the trees. It was ten days earlier when I paid my first visit to the Sabal Palm Sanctuary in Brownsville Texas. I tried to explore trails I missed last time here.

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

White-Tipped Doves skulked the understory throughout the park, but would come into view wherever there were seed feeders. I spent Friday exploring a jewel of birding in south Texas; Estero Llano Grande State Park. I couldn’t visit this place last spring because of the pandemic. It is a wonderful place to meet birds.

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

Love was in the air for some of these doves. The National Butterfly Center held a “Big Sit” event on Sunday. They invited me to join the team, and in between shifts, I walked the grounds in search of photo opportunities.

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

I heard the low, monotonous cooing from these birds throughout the park. This Wednesday tour of Estero Llano Grande State Park was only my second visit here. My first visit was on foot, but this day I rode my bike and explored a much wider area.

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

White-Tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

White-Tipps were the only doves I saw at the feeding station here. For my last expedition while camped in Palmview (Texas), I drove two miles to explore the National Butterfly Center near Mission. I found it was a lovely place to meet birds and some like-minded nature lovers.