General
Key West Quail-Dove: Medium-sized dove with red-brown upperparts, gray-red nape and crown, white throat and streak below eye, and buff-gray underparts. Upperparts of male are iridescent purple and green, female is duller. Juvenile is browner.
Range and Habitat
Key West Quail-Dove: Occurs very rarely in southern Florida; primary range includes the West Indies and east as far as Puerto Rico. Preferred habitats include semi-arid and humid woodlands, scrub, and forests.
Breeding and Nesting
Key West Quail-Dove: One or two creamy buff eggs are laid in a nest made of leaves and sticks, and built on the ground or in a low tree or shrub. Incubation ranges from 11 to 12 days and is carried out by both parents.
Foraging and Feeding
Key West Quail-Dove: Eats a variety of seeds, fallen berries, fruits, insects, and small snails; forages on the ground, usually beneath the cover of bushes or trees.
Vocalization
Key West Quail-Dove: Call is a groan-like sound, loud "whoe-whoe-oh-oh-oh", or mournful "oooooooooou", repeated a number of times.
Similar Species
Key West Quail-Dove: Ruddy Quail-Dove is smaller, has rich rufous or brown upperparts without iridescence, cinnamon-brown underparts, buff line beneath eye, and shorter tail.