The Wetar ground dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae found on Wetar, Indonesia, and on Timor. Its natural habitats are monsoon forests and gallery forests, and possibly woodland and bamboos. Threatened by habitat loss and hunting, the species is assessed as endangered by the IUCN.
Region
Lesser Sunda Islands
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily on Wetar (Maluku province, Indonesia) and Timor (including Timor-Leste), where it uses intact and semi-degraded monsoon and gallery forests. It favors forest interior, streamside thickets, and bamboo or secondary growth that provide dense understorey cover. Birds sometimes venture to forest edges and lightly wooded clearings to feed, especially beneath fruiting trees. Local abundance is generally low due to hunting pressure and ongoing forest loss.
Altitude Range
0–900 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A shy, terrestrial dove restricted to the islands of Wetar (Indonesia) and Timor, the Wetar ground dove keeps close to dense cover and is easily overlooked. It depends on monsoon and gallery forests and forages quietly on the leaf-litter for fallen fruits and seeds. Habitat loss and hunting have caused steep declines, and the species is categorized as Endangered.
Temperament
shy and elusive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs, occasionally in very small groups at feeding sites. Likely forms long-term pair bonds and nests low in trees or dense shrubs close to cover. Spends much time walking and pausing on the forest floor, flushing reluctantly when approached.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A soft, low series of cooing notes delivered from within cover, often carrying poorly through dense foliage. Calls may be spaced, mournful hoots, with occasional wing-noise when flushed.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with a greyer head and nape, paler underparts with a faint buff or rufous wash, and subtle scaling or mottling on the breast. The wings and tail are darker brown; the throat is lighter and may appear whitish. Overall appearance is soft-toned and cryptic for ground-level concealment.
Diet
Primarily consumes fallen fruits and berries, including figs and other soft fruits that drop to the forest floor. It also takes small seeds picked from leaf-litter and may supplement with tender buds. Foraging is quiet and methodical, with frequent pauses to scan for disturbance.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on the ground beneath fruiting forest trees, along stream margins, and in bamboo or dense understorey where cover is close. It will use forest edges and lightly wooded clearings when fruit is abundant but retreats quickly to cover.
