The Inca Dove is a tiny, scaly-looking dove of the desert Southwest. Its scaled appearance comes from dark-edged feathers. The long, narrow tail with white outer edges is distinctive in flight, as is the rufous wing color revealed when flying. It is strongly associated with human settlement and rarely strays far from towns and farms.
Best time to see a Inca Dove
The best time to see a Inca Dove is November–April, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 10,049 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Inca Dove? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Inca Dove sightings near you
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