Crested quail-dove

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The crested quail-dove (Geotrygon versicolor) is a medium-sized pigeon found only in Jamaica. It is a dove species with no subspecies.

Size and appearance: Males are about 27–31 cm long and weigh around 225 g; females are similar in size. Males have a black forehead, a gray neck with a crest, and a back that can show bronze or bronze-green. The face is gray with a reddish-buff cheek stripe, and the belly is gray with chestnut flanks. The upper back and wings are iridescent purple and the lower back and tail are greenish black with purple shine. The eye is red. Females usually look like males but can be paler and browner.

Habitat and range: It lives in mid-level and montane forests in Jamaica, especially in the Blue and John Crow Mountains, the Mount Diablo area, and the Cockpit Country. It occurs from about 100 m up to 1,800 m in elevation, avoiding dry lowland forests and cultivated woodlands.

Diet: It searches leaf litter on the forest floor for seeds, fallen fruit, and probably small invertebrates.

Breeding: The breeding season is March to June. It builds a twig nest near the ground or on the ground and typically lays two eggs.

Conservation: The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists it as Near Threatened because the population is declining as forests are cleared for farming and development. Protecting Jamaica’s forests is essential for its survival. Its advertising call is a short two-note coo.