The Inca Dove is a small, slender-bodied dove with a long tail and distinctive scaly-looking plumage created by dark-edged feathers. In Arizona, it reaches the northern edge of its range, being primarily a bird of the deserts and arid towns of the Southwest. These doves are most often found in urban areas, desert scrub, and agricultural lands, where they forage on the ground for seeds. Though widespread in the southern United States and Mexico, in Arizona they are more common in lower-elevation valleys, particularly in central and southern parts of the state. Their soft, repetitive “no hope” call is often heard around neighborhoods where they perch on telephone wires or rooftops. Inca Doves are year-round residents in Arizona, though their populations fluctuate locally, and they are sometimes affected by cold winters. Their unique scaly appearance and habit of roosting together for warmth in cool weather make them a familiar and endearing sight in many desert communities.
