Breeds from Texas to Massachusetts, and throughout the interior to the eastern bases of the Rocky Mountains, and again on the Columbia River. Common. Resident in all the Southern Districts.
Columba carolinensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 286.
Carolina Pigeon or Turtle-Dove, Columba carolinensis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 91.
Columba carolinensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 119.
Carolina Pigeon or Turtle-Dove, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 626.
Carolina Turtle-Dove, Columba carolinensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 91; v. v. p. 555.
Bill rather short, moderately stout, broader than high at the base, somewhat compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its extremity arched, thin-edged, and obtuse; lower narrowed and blunt. Head partially denuded, rather small, oblong; neck long; body very large. Feet stout, rather long; tarsus anteriorly scutellate; hind toe elevated, anterior toes webbed at the base. Claws rather denuded, obtuse. Plumage full, the feathers with a very large plumule and short tube; those of the hind part of the back much developed. Wings of moderate length, convex, rounded. Tail very large, of more than twelve feathers. Tongue triangular, pointed; oesophagus dilated into an enormous crop; stomach a very powerful gizzard, roundish, or transversely elliptical, with very large muscles, and dense epithelium, having two concave grinding surfaces; intestines long, and rather wide; coeca very large, oblong, internally with elevated reticulated ridges. Trachea cylindrical, without inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest on the ground, rudely constructed. Eggs numerous. Young covered with stiffish down.
Bill rather short, moderately stout, nearly straight, broader than high at the base, somewhat compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the dorsal line sloping and straight, toward the end decurved, nasal membrane large and bare, ridge and sides rounded, edges sharp, without notch, tip thin-edged, rounded; lower mandible with the angle very long, and rather wide, the dorsal line slightly convex, the edges sharp toward the end, decurved, the tip thin-edged and obtuse. Nostrils linear, with a large horny operculum. Head bare, with a long fleshy wattle at the base of the bill; neck bare, carunculate, slightly feathered behind. Head small, oblong; neck rather long; body very full. Feet large and strong; tarsus rather long, stout, compressed, with two rows of scutella in front, and the same behind, where there is also a conical slightly recurved spur, about a third from the lower extremity; toes of moderate length, stout, scutella; first small and elevated; lateral about equal, third much longer; anterior webbed at the base. Claws of moderate length, stout, arched, somewhat compressed, obtuse. Plumage compact, glossy; feathers very broad and truncate; those of the rump elongated. Wings of moderate length, concave, much rounded, with the fourth and fifth quills longest; secondaries very long and broad. Tail rather long, very broad, much rounded, of fourteen or eighteen very broad, broadly rounded feathers. Oesophagus dilated into a very large crop; stomach transversely elliptical, extremely muscular; intestines long and wide; coeca very large, oblong.