The Inca Dove’s Call of “No Hope”

Last updated on August 11th, 2020 at 07:37 am

I captured this shot while camping in South Llano River State Park outside of Junction, TX. I saw one bird on two occasions and I’m not sure if it was the same one or not. Unlike the White Wing doves that flocked to the bird blind, this little bird seemed shy and content with its solitude. Could we take a lesson from this small bird? Have we learned to be content in our solitude by now or is more isolation required? Or is the Inca’s call of “no hope” our reality?

The Inca Dove or Mexican dove (Columbina inca) is a New World bird first described by the French naturalist René Lesson in 1847. Its soft, whistled coo sounds like “no hope” and is a familiar in many southwestern US cities. These little doves are often seen walking about on lawns with dainty steps, or fluttering up with a rattle of wings. The Inca is covered in tan scaly-looking feathers that blends right in with its suburban desert habitat. They are often seen feeding on the ground in open areas such as barnyards, city parks, gardens, playgrounds and lawns, and even on elevated platform bird feeders.