White-winged Dove
White-winged Dove has surged: up 164% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the White-winged Dove
The White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) 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 460 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 17 states, most concentrated in the Chihuahuan Desert.
- Family
- Columbidae · Generalists
Notable White-winged Dove Trends
White-winged Dove has surged in surveyed states: up 164% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
White-winged Dove Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, White-winged Dove is projected to rise about 33% by 2029 — from 0.89 in 2024 to a central estimate of 1.2 (95% range 0.87–1.5). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±10.2%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.1 | 0.81 | 1.4 |
| 2026 | 1.1 | 0.83 | 1.4 |
| 2027 | 1.2 | 0.84 | 1.5 |
| 2028 | 1.2 | 0.85 | 1.5 |
| 2029 | 1.2 | 0.87 | 1.5 |
Where the White-winged Dove Is Detected
BBS routes recording White-winged Dove, sized by most recent count.
White-winged Dove Population Trend by State
| Alabama | 19× | 2009 | 12 |
| Arizona | -8% | 1970 | 59 |
| Arkansas | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| California | +105% | 1970 | 18 |
| Colorado | insufficient data | n/a | 8 |
| Florida | 12× | 1979 | 53 |
| Georgia | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Illinois | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Kansas | insufficient data | n/a | 11 |
| Louisiana | +792% | 2008 | 28 |
| Mississippi | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Nebraska | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| Nevada | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| New Mexico | +372% | 1981 | 48 |
| Oklahoma | +12% | 2010 | 13 |
| Texas | +485% | 1969 | 194 |
| Utah | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
White-winged Dove Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | -81% | 1993 | 24 |
| Shortgrass Prairie | 25× | 1999 | 42 |
| Central Mixed Grass Prairie | +107% | 2004 | 30 |
| Edwards Plateau | 27× | 1978 | 18 |
| Oaks and Prairies | 42× | 1977 | 49 |
| West Gulf Coastal Plain / Ouachitas | +854% | 2008 | 21 |
| Mississippi Alluvial Valley | 20× | 2008 | 13 |
| Southeastern Coastal Plain | 15× | 2001 | 27 |
| Peninsular Florida | +931% | 1979 | 42 |
| Sonoran and Mojave Deserts | +3% | 1970 | 51 |
| Sierra Madre Occidental | -20% | 1970 | 25 |
| Chihuahuan Desert | 16× | 1969 | 52 |
| Tamaulipan Brushlands | +334% | 1969 | 28 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | -42% | 1971 | 30 |
White-winged Dove Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 164% 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.