Third in a series about the dove species that can be found in west Texas. Inca Dove. Colombina inca). Smallest of the doves found locally. Very secretive little bird. Small, deep-bellied, long-tailed dove with a short neck, small head, and short bill. Pale gray to sandy colored overall. All feathers brown-tipped to give a scaled look. To me, this bird is the cutest of the species.
Inca Dove
- Photographed August 14, 2007
- Canon EOS 40D
- Canon 500mm IS lens with 1.4 -tele-converter
- 1/800 sec. @ f5.6 – ISO 800
- Lens focal distance – 700mm
- Metering – pattern
- Aperture priority
Inca Dove
- Photographed January 12, 2010
- Canon EOS 7D
- Canon 100-400mm lens
- 1/400 sec. @ f9 – plus 1/3 EV adjustment – ISO 250
- Lens focal distance – 250mm
- Metering – partial
- Aperture priority
Inca Dove
- Photographed April 6, 2008
- Canon EOS 40D
- Canon 500mm IS lens with 1.4 tele-converter
- 1/800 sec. @ f5.6 – ISO 800
- Lens focal distance – 700mm
- Metering – pattern
- Aperture priority
Click on any image to see an enlargement.
Texas Tweeties by Bob Zeller 
I’ve definitely never seen this type of dove up here in the northeast, but I agree it is cute. I especially like the 3rd photo – that one appears the cutest to me! 🙂
Thanks, Karen. I am glad you are following this series. BTW, one of these Inca Doves landed on my patio about an hour ago. 🙂
The lacing of the feathers on the Inca doves is beautiful! Of your photos my favorite is the third shot because of the depth and softening of the background. Cindy Kilpatric told me the name for this effect, but I have forgotten it. ~ Lynda
The effect you are talking about is “bokeh”. It is achieved by using a large aperture, i.e. f2.5, etc. It gives a shallow DOP (depth of field) and blurs all the background. However, sometimes because of some exposure restrictions, or composition needs, a smaller aperture may be needed, and you lose the bokeh.
What delightful little doves..great details on the feathers..thanks so much for sharing ..just looking at the different birds make my day…Our season here in Colorado is changing rapidly from summer to fall..the Canada Geese are flying low over our home, and my bird feeders are starting to have visitors…Our hummers are gone for another year..Take care and have a great day..praying for rain for your State…news reports sound really bad…
Thank you very much, Syl. Our temperatures are finally getting a little cooler here also. I only hope that the migrating birds can find enough to eat to stop here for the winter. Nothing much is growing, and the fires destroyed a lot of cover also. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.
These photographs are beautiful!! I didn’t know doves could have such wonderful patterns in their feathers… but I don’t know much about birds and have only ever heard of white doves, but I know there are probably a lot of different kinds out there. Wonderful photographs and I think they are extremely cute birds as well! I don’t know how you manage to take such wonderful photos of birds… I always scare them away! But I guess you have a powerful zoom lens? Wonderful 🙂
Thanks so much, Polly. I like the Incas best of the doves. They are so tiny and cute. And I love the feather patterns. I am fortunate to have a very long lens, which lets me get in a little closer without spooking them.