Namaqua dove

Description

The Namaqua dove is 28 cm long and weighs 28-54 g.Small in size it is slightly larger than a dove gray and has a very long and pointed tail with external helms much shorter than the central ones.The sexual dimorphism in this species is very evident,in fact the male has the front of the head,the chest and the front of the black body edged in white gray,the rest of the body is uniform bluish gray with the lower white parts.The wings have two iridescent spots,bluish black tending to green.The primary remiges are brown,the two central feathers of the tail are black in the terminal part.The iris is dark brown,the gray orbital skin,the violet-red beak with the orange-yellow tip and the legs are dark red.The female is missing the black mask which is replaced by the gray of the same shade as the rest of the body.A black line connects the eyes to the beak,which is also black.Young people take color from adults to three months of age.