Common Ground Dove
Common Ground Dove has fallen sharply: down 57% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Common Ground Dove
The Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina) is a North American member of the Pigeons & Doves (Columbidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the generalists.
- Size
- 6–14.5 in long (15–37 cm) — a plump-bodied bird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- A broad range of open and wooded habitats, often near people.
- Diet
- An opportunistic mix of insects, seeds, fruit and scraps.
- Range
- Recorded on 410 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 12 states, most concentrated in the Southeastern Coastal Plain.
- Family
- Columbidae · Generalists
Notable Common Ground Dove Trends
Common Ground Dove has fallen sharply in surveyed states: down 57% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
Common Ground Dove Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Common Ground Dove is projected to fall about 21% by 2029 — from 0.23 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.18 (95% range 0.03–0.33). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±8.7%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.19 | 0.04 | 0.34 |
| 2026 | 0.19 | 0.04 | 0.34 |
| 2027 | 0.18 | 0.03 | 0.34 |
| 2028 | 0.18 | 0.03 | 0.33 |
| 2029 | 0.18 | 0.03 | 0.33 |
Where the Common Ground Dove Is Detected
BBS routes recording Common Ground Dove, sized by most recent count.
Common Ground Dove Population Trend by State
| Alabama | +57% | 1968 | 48 |
| Arizona | -62% | 1970 | 24 |
| California | -73% | 1974 | 12 |
| Florida | -67% | 1968 | 124 |
| Georgia | -32% | 1968 | 74 |
| Louisiana | -86% | 1972 | 7 |
| Mississippi | -11% | 2000 | 6 |
| Nevada | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| New Mexico | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| North Carolina | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| South Carolina | -66% | 1969 | 14 |
| Texas | -51% | 1969 | 96 |
Common Ground Dove Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Edwards Plateau | +379% | 1976 | 17 |
| Oaks and Prairies | -13% | 1969 | 19 |
| Mississippi Alluvial Valley | -87% | 1972 | 3 |
| Southeastern Coastal Plain | +31% | 1968 | 170 |
| Piedmont | -41% | 1976 | 17 |
| Peninsular Florida | -78% | 1968 | 80 |
| Sonoran and Mojave Deserts | -85% | 1971 | 23 |
| Sierra Madre Occidental | -62% | 1970 | 10 |
| Chihuahuan Desert | +101% | 1996 | 12 |
| Tamaulipan Brushlands | -40% | 1969 | 28 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | +79% | 1971 | 22 |
Common Ground Dove Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it down about 57% since 1968.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.