Description: The back of the neck and head of the Chiriqui quail-dove are gray, with a rufous breast. A thin black stripe extends from the bill to the red eye, and can be seen behind the eye on the throat. The upper parts are maroonish-rust color; feet and legs are reddish. Males and females are very similar, females may have a duller colored head and a darker breast.
Size: They are 11-12 inches (28-30 cm) long and weigh about 10.5 ounces (298 gr).
Behavior: They are solitary birds but are often seen feeding in pairs. This shy bird is easier to hear than see.
Diet: Chiriqui quail-doves feed on seeds, fruit and small invertebrates.
Senses: The use of hearing and eyesight is more easily studied than smell, which is believed to be important in this species.
Communication: They call incessantly from low perches during breeding season. Males also lower their head while raising their tail when displaying.
Reproduction: Members of the family Columbidae are monogamous. Nest is cup-like in shape made of leaves and twigs in which two cream-colored eggs are laid. The young are fed pigeon-milk (like crop-milk, a regurgitated secretion from the lining of the crop) by both parents for the first few days after hatching.
Habitat/range: They spend most of their time on the ground in tropical, subtropical and mountain forests in Costa Rica and Panama.
Status: They are listed as Least Concern on IUCN Red List.
