Inca Dove
Inca Dove has surged: up 83% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the Inca Dove
The Inca Dove (Columbina inca) 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 263 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 9 states, most concentrated in the Oaks and Prairies.
- Family
- Columbidae · Generalists
Notable Inca Dove Trends
No notable trend signals for Inca Dove. See the full index history below.
Inca Dove Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Inca Dove is projected to rise about 56% by 2029 — from 0.06 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.09 (95% range 0.03–0.14). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±150.1%, with 60% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.08 | 0.03 | 0.14 |
| 2026 | 0.08 | 0.03 | 0.14 |
| 2027 | 0.09 | 0.03 | 0.14 |
| 2028 | 0.09 | 0.03 | 0.14 |
| 2029 | 0.09 | 0.03 | 0.14 |
Where the Inca Dove Is Detected
BBS routes recording Inca Dove, sized by most recent count.
Inca Dove Population Trend by State
| Alabama | insufficient data | n/a | 5 |
| Arizona | -78% | 1970 | 25 |
| Arkansas | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| California | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Louisiana | +847% | 1996 | 51 |
| Mississippi | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| New Mexico | -24% | 1998 | 5 |
| Oklahoma | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| Texas | +18% | 1969 | 169 |
Inca Dove Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Shortgrass Prairie | +34% | 2005 | 6 |
| Central Mixed Grass Prairie | -63% | 1972 | 11 |
| Edwards Plateau | -73% | 1970 | 19 |
| Oaks and Prairies | +269% | 1970 | 54 |
| West Gulf Coastal Plain / Ouachitas | +162% | 1988 | 44 |
| Mississippi Alluvial Valley | +143% | 2005 | 15 |
| Sonoran and Mojave Deserts | -90% | 1971 | 17 |
| Sierra Madre Occidental | -81% | 1972 | 11 |
| Chihuahuan Desert | -36% | 1992 | 12 |
| Tamaulipan Brushlands | -9% | 1969 | 27 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | +181% | 1972 | 37 |
Inca Dove Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 83% since 1969.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.