Ruddy Ground-Dove

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Ruddy Ground-Dove in Celestún Biosphere Reserve?

Likely. About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Ruddy Ground-Dove sighting in Celestún Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 855 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 19th most-seen of the 297 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Ruddy Ground-Dove in Celestún Biosphere Reserve?

May, August–September and November. In those months about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Ruddy Ground-Dove in Celestún Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against about 30% in February and July, the lowest months.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Ruddy Ground-Dove?

Between 1 and 4 pm. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ruddy Ground-Dove sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Celestún Biosphere Reserve the best place to see a Ruddy Ground-Dove?

9th of 74. Of the 74 parks where we can rate Ruddy Ground-Dove sightings, Celestún Biosphere Reserve ranks 9th at about 50%. The best odds are in Tijuca National Park (Brazil, about 70%), Masaya Volcano National Park (Nicaragua, about 70%) and Chapada dos Guimarães National Park (Brazil, about 60%). All parks ranked.

Q: Where does the Ruddy Ground-Dove sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Ruddy Ground-Dove is recorded against all the birds logged in Celestún Biosphere Reserve (855 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Columbina talpacoti

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderColumbiformes (Pigeons and Doves)
FamilyColumbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
GenusColumbina (Small Ground Doves)
SpeciesColumbina talpacoti (Ruddy Ground-Dove)

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

at Celestún Biosphere Reserve

In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%

855 Verified sightings at Celestún Biosphere Reserve From 2019 to 2026

32,672 In all 74 parks

September Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

Challenge South American City Birds South AmericaEasy

About the Ruddy Ground-Dove

The ruddy ground dove (Columbina talpacoti) is a small New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from Mexico south to Brazil, Peru and Paraguay, and northern Argentina, and on Trinidad and Tobago. Individual birds can sometimes be seen in the southwestern USA, from southern Texas to southernmost California, primarily during winter.

The ruddy ground dove is very common in scrub and other open country, including cultivated land and urban centers, where it can be seen feeding on grain alongside feral pigeons. It builds a solid but sparsely lined cup-shaped stick nest in a tree and lays two white eggs. Incubation is 12–13 days with another 12–14 days to fledging. There may be a second or third brood. Chick mortality through predation and falls from the nest is high.

Its flight is fast and direct, with the regular beats and occasional sharp flick of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general. Ruddy ground doves are small short-tailed pigeons, 17 cm (6.7 in) long with a weight normally about 47 g (1.7 oz). Adult males have a pale grey head and neck, and rich rufous upperparts, black-spotted on the wing coverts. The underparts are paler brown, the tail is edged black, and the underwings are cinnamon and black. The female is grey-brown rather than rufous, and has less contrast between head and body than the male.

Ruddy ground doves feed mainly on seeds, but also sometimes on snails and small insects. Their call is a soft cooing cur-WOO.This species can be quite approachable. Males frequently threaten each other by jumping and raising a wing, and brief confrontations may ensue. Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:39

Brazil · 2026

Song0:44

Colombia · 2022

Song0:09

Colombia · 2021

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 4 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~70%
2	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	~70%
3	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~60%
4	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~60%
5	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	~50%
6	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	~50%
7	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~50%
8	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~50%
9	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~50%
10	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
11	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~40%
12	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
13	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	~40%
14	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
15	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~40%
16	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~30%
17	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~30%
18	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
19	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
20	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
21	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
22	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
23	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~20%
24	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
25	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
26	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
27	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
28	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
29	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
30	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
31	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
32	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
33	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
34	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
35	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
36	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
37	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
38	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
39	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
40	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
41	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
42	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	~10%
43	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
44	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
45	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
46	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
47	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~10%
48	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
49	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
50	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
51	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
52	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
53	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
54	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
55	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
56	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
57	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
58	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
59	Celaque National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
60	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
61	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
62	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
63	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
64	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
65	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
66	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
67	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	<5%
68	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
69	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
70	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
71	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
72	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	<5%
73	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
74	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Salvador	🇧🇷 Brazil	~90%
2	Cali	🇨🇴 Colombia	~80%
3	João Pessoa	🇧🇷 Brazil	~80%
4	Medellín	🇨🇴 Colombia	~80%
5	Rio de Janeiro	🇧🇷 Brazil	~80%
6	Fortaleza	🇧🇷 Brazil	~70%
7	Belo Horizonte	🇧🇷 Brazil	~70%
8	Goiânia	🇧🇷 Brazil	~70%
9	Vitória	🇧🇷 Brazil	~60%
10	San Salvador	🇸🇻 El Salvador	~60%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Parque das Aves	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
2	Bronx Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
3	World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	In captivity
4	Castellar Zoo	🇪🇸 Spain	In captivity

Closest Relatives at Celestún Biosphere Reserve

Columbina passerina

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Zenaida asiatica

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Leptotila jamaicensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Leptotila verreauxi

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Zenaida macroura

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Patagioenas flavirostris

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Fregata magnificens

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Phoenicopterus ruber

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Leucophaeus atricilla

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Mimus gilvus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Phalacrocorax auritus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Pelecanus occidentalis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Ruddy Ground-Dove in Celestún Biosphere Reserve?

Likely

About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Ruddy Ground-Dove sighting in Celestún Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 855 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 19th most-seen of the 297 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Ruddy Ground-Dove in Celestún Biosphere Reserve?

May, August–September and November

In those months about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Ruddy Ground-Dove in Celestún Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against about 30% in February and July, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Ruddy Ground-Dove?

Between 1 and 4 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ruddy Ground-Dove sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Celestún Biosphere Reserve the best place to see a Ruddy Ground-Dove?

9th of 74

Of the 74 parks where we can rate Ruddy Ground-Dove sightings, Celestún Biosphere Reserve ranks 9th at about 50%. The best odds are in Tijuca National Park (Brazil, about 70%), Masaya Volcano National Park (Nicaragua, about 70%) and Chapada dos Guimarães National Park (Brazil, about 60%). All parks ranked.

Where does the Ruddy Ground-Dove sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Ruddy Ground-Dove is recorded against all the birds logged in Celestún Biosphere Reserve (855 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Celestún Biosphere Reserve

Ruddy Ground-Dove

About the Ruddy Ground-Dove

Sounds

Recent sightings of Ruddy Ground-Dove in Celestún Biosphere Reserve

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Celestún Biosphere Reserve

Common Ground-Dove

White-winged Dove

Caribbean Dove

White-tipped Dove

Mourning Dove

Red-billed Pigeon

Magnificent Frigatebird

American Flamingo

Laughing Gull

Tropical Mockingbird

Double-crested Cormorant

Brown Pelican

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Ruddy Ground-Dove in Celestún Biosphere Reserve?

When is the best time to see a Ruddy Ground-Dove in Celestún Biosphere Reserve?

What time of day is best to see a Ruddy Ground-Dove?

Is Celestún Biosphere Reserve the best place to see a Ruddy Ground-Dove?

Where does the Ruddy Ground-Dove sighting chance come from?