OBSERVATIONS ON THE NESTING OF THE GRAY-HEADED DOVE (LEPTOTILA PLUMBEICEPS) IN A SHADE-GROWN COFFEE PLANTATION, IN VERACRUZ, MEXICO

Abstract

The Gray-headed Dove (Leptotila plumbeiceps) is a neotropical bird distributed from northeastern Mexico to eastern Colombia; its breeding biology is virtually unknown. In May 2020, we found a pair of these doves nesting in a shade-grown coffee plantation, in central-western Veracruz, Mexico. The nest was a circular plataform (20 cm in diameter), made of sticks, leaves, and artificial materials. The clutch consisted of two eggs that were incubated for 14 days, and the nestlings remaining in the nest 12 days after hatching. To our knowledge, this work is the first to study the breeding of the Gray-headed Dove. Although we evidence the plasticity of this dove by incorporating artificial materials in its nests, these can be a hazard for adults and chicks.