Dove-White Wing
| Daily bag limit: 12 white-winged, mourning and white-tipped (white-fronted) doves in the aggregate, to include not more than 4 mourning doves and two whitetips. Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag limit. |
| Special South Texas Zone Sept. 1, 2, 8 & 9 |
Regular Season:
September 21 - November 11
& December 26 - January 8.
Daily bag limit: 12 mourning, white-winged, and
white-tipped (white-fronted) doves in the
aggregate to include not more than two whitetips.
Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag limit.
September 21 - November 11
& December 26 - January 8.
Daily bag limit: 12 mourning, white-winged, and
white-tipped (white-fronted) doves in the
aggregate to include not more than two whitetips.
Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag limit.
The white-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica) closely resembles the
slightly smaller, grayish-brown mourning dove. Its name is derived
from the noticeable white-marked feathers on the upper wing
surface. The tail is shorter compared to wing length, and more
bluntly or rounded when compared to the mourning doves' long,
pointed tail. The call of the white-winged dove is distinctive with
loud a loud cooing sequence that sounds like "who cooks for you"
with emphasis on the last note. They are colonial nesters and also
congregate while roosting and during feeding activities.
Since the early 1930's, the white-winged dove has been an important
game bird for many generations of Texas hunters in the Lower Rio
Grande Valley (LRGV). Following the introduction of irrigation and
grain farming to the LRGV in the early 1900's, the white-winged dove
population increased to an estimated 4-12 million birds by 1923.
However, due to the continued loss of native habitat that was being
put into farming the population declined to about 500,000 birds by
1939. The destruction of 90% of its critical nesting habitat through
intensive agricultural farming and heavy hunting in the 1920's and
1930's contributed to this decline. The average number of hunters
that traditionally traveled to the LRGV was 35,000-40,0000 each year.
Distribution
Historically, the white-winged dove has nested primarily in the
LRGV with their distribution apparently restricted to the sub-tropical
to temperate environment that reaches its northern limit here. Within
the last 20 years however, a dramatic increase in nesting
populations have increased throughout Texas and even into other
states. The range expansion apparently started during the 1980's
when citrus groves that had become major nesting areas for
white-winged doves, were decimated with killing freezes. Many of
the citrus groves were never replaced and an increasing human
population in the LRGV has caused additional loss of habitat through
development.
Cottam and Trefethan (1968) reported in their book "Whitewings",
only small outlying white-winged dove populations as far west as
Val Verde, Kinney, Uvalde counties and as far east as Atascosa,
Wilson, Karnes, Bee, Goliad and Refugio counties. San Antonio was
not mentioned in this data. These areas supported small numbers of
widely scattered breeding birds. While some nesting has historically
occurred in the cities and towns of upper south Texas (about 5%)
where mature shade tree survived, "there was little pioneering by
the doves into other towns where the original nest trees were
destroyed, even though planted shade trees have developed into
what appears to be good nesting cover" (Cottom and Trefethan,
1968). There was some fringe nesting that occurred in the Balcones
Escarpment, the break between the Edwards plateau and the Rio
Grande plains but it contributes little to the total annual production
(Cottam and Trefethan, 1968).
Population Characteristics
While Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) have been monitoring
white-winged dove populations since 1951, an intensive survey was
conducted in 1989 and 1990 throughout south Texas to determine the
extent of this expansion and the population of nesting white-wings
outside of the LRGV. Several techniques were used including rural
coo counts, urban coo counts and fall flight counts.
Results of these rural coo counts indicated many white-winged
doves were nesting in the breaks of the Edwards plateau in the area
of northern Uvalde, Kinney and Medina counties with a substantial
number of nesting pairs in the vicinity of Medina lake and the Concan
area of Uvalde county. The area around Lake Corpus Christi showed
a steady increase in nesting birds also. There was very little nesting
activity in the typical south Texas chaparral, due to the lack of tall
mature trees. The cities and towns scattered throughout south
Texas have extensive nesting occurring with the greatest activity in
the cities of San Antonio, Del Rio, Uvalde, Beeville and Alice.
Currently, white-winged dove surveys are conducted in numerous
cities and towns throughout Texas.
The 2000 spring breeding survey revealed an estimated 507,335
white-wings in the LRGV and 720,000 in upper south Texas. The term
upper south Texas includes all counties located outside the LRGV
and within the south Texas ecological area. Of the 507,335 birds in
the LRGV, less than 8% utilized citrus trees for nesting while 92%
used native brush and urban areas. This was the tenth year in the
last eleven that the numbers of white-winged doves in upper south
Texas exceeded the number of counted in the LRGV. Outside of the
south Texas ecological region, Travis County in central Texas had
264,000 birds and west Texas had an estimated population of 33,150.
Again, the majority of nesting occurs within the cities. The nesting
white-winged doves seem to prefer the older more established
residential neighborhoods with large live oak, pecan, and ashe trees.
This may be due to better protection from predators and a consistent
food and water sources due to watering of lawns and bird feeders.
Hunting
Hunting the white-winged dove continues to be a desired
recreational sport. Due to continued hunting pressures and loss of
habitat in the LRGV, TPW initiated a sanctuary system in 1978 that
alternated hunting areas along the Rio Grande River by years to keep
from over harvesting certain areas. In 1999 an estimated 607,000
white-wings were harvested in Texas. Approximately 50,700
white-winged doves were bagged in upper south Texas compared to
44,400 in the LRGV. The special white-winged dove season in the
LRGV consists of two weekends with shooting hours from noon to
sunset. It is advisable to read the regulations to regarding
white-winged dove hunting and determine the hunting areas.
Once this is established, farms with grain or corn stubble,
sunflowers, or sesame are the best areas. Also, look for watering
areas and roosting trees in the vicinity. If unfamiliar, there are
numerous outfitters, guides and even local farmers that advertise
white-wing hunting. The LRGV chambers of commerce's are
excellent sources of information. In the remaining area of south
Texas, white-winged doves are concentrated around the urban areas
and towns. Generally, the majority of white-wings are harvested in
conjunction with mourning dove season and are incidental or
bonuses in the bag. Hunting in close proximity of San Antonio,
Uvalde, Del Rio, Beeville, Mathis, will usually increase the numbers
of birds. As the white-winged dove population continues to expand
and increase throughout south Texas it is obvious that the numbers
of birds harvested will also increase, thus giving more recreation for
south Texas sportsmen
*All information courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife
slightly smaller, grayish-brown mourning dove. Its name is derived
from the noticeable white-marked feathers on the upper wing
surface. The tail is shorter compared to wing length, and more
bluntly or rounded when compared to the mourning doves' long,
pointed tail. The call of the white-winged dove is distinctive with
loud a loud cooing sequence that sounds like "who cooks for you"
with emphasis on the last note. They are colonial nesters and also
congregate while roosting and during feeding activities.
Since the early 1930's, the white-winged dove has been an important
game bird for many generations of Texas hunters in the Lower Rio
Grande Valley (LRGV). Following the introduction of irrigation and
grain farming to the LRGV in the early 1900's, the white-winged dove
population increased to an estimated 4-12 million birds by 1923.
However, due to the continued loss of native habitat that was being
put into farming the population declined to about 500,000 birds by
1939. The destruction of 90% of its critical nesting habitat through
intensive agricultural farming and heavy hunting in the 1920's and
1930's contributed to this decline. The average number of hunters
that traditionally traveled to the LRGV was 35,000-40,0000 each year.
Distribution
Historically, the white-winged dove has nested primarily in the
LRGV with their distribution apparently restricted to the sub-tropical
to temperate environment that reaches its northern limit here. Within
the last 20 years however, a dramatic increase in nesting
populations have increased throughout Texas and even into other
states. The range expansion apparently started during the 1980's
when citrus groves that had become major nesting areas for
white-winged doves, were decimated with killing freezes. Many of
the citrus groves were never replaced and an increasing human
population in the LRGV has caused additional loss of habitat through
development.
Cottam and Trefethan (1968) reported in their book "Whitewings",
only small outlying white-winged dove populations as far west as
Val Verde, Kinney, Uvalde counties and as far east as Atascosa,
Wilson, Karnes, Bee, Goliad and Refugio counties. San Antonio was
not mentioned in this data. These areas supported small numbers of
widely scattered breeding birds. While some nesting has historically
occurred in the cities and towns of upper south Texas (about 5%)
where mature shade tree survived, "there was little pioneering by
the doves into other towns where the original nest trees were
destroyed, even though planted shade trees have developed into
what appears to be good nesting cover" (Cottom and Trefethan,
1968). There was some fringe nesting that occurred in the Balcones
Escarpment, the break between the Edwards plateau and the Rio
Grande plains but it contributes little to the total annual production
(Cottam and Trefethan, 1968).
Population Characteristics
While Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) have been monitoring
white-winged dove populations since 1951, an intensive survey was
conducted in 1989 and 1990 throughout south Texas to determine the
extent of this expansion and the population of nesting white-wings
outside of the LRGV. Several techniques were used including rural
coo counts, urban coo counts and fall flight counts.
Results of these rural coo counts indicated many white-winged
doves were nesting in the breaks of the Edwards plateau in the area
of northern Uvalde, Kinney and Medina counties with a substantial
number of nesting pairs in the vicinity of Medina lake and the Concan
area of Uvalde county. The area around Lake Corpus Christi showed
a steady increase in nesting birds also. There was very little nesting
activity in the typical south Texas chaparral, due to the lack of tall
mature trees. The cities and towns scattered throughout south
Texas have extensive nesting occurring with the greatest activity in
the cities of San Antonio, Del Rio, Uvalde, Beeville and Alice.
Currently, white-winged dove surveys are conducted in numerous
cities and towns throughout Texas.
The 2000 spring breeding survey revealed an estimated 507,335
white-wings in the LRGV and 720,000 in upper south Texas. The term
upper south Texas includes all counties located outside the LRGV
and within the south Texas ecological area. Of the 507,335 birds in
the LRGV, less than 8% utilized citrus trees for nesting while 92%
used native brush and urban areas. This was the tenth year in the
last eleven that the numbers of white-winged doves in upper south
Texas exceeded the number of counted in the LRGV. Outside of the
south Texas ecological region, Travis County in central Texas had
264,000 birds and west Texas had an estimated population of 33,150.
Again, the majority of nesting occurs within the cities. The nesting
white-winged doves seem to prefer the older more established
residential neighborhoods with large live oak, pecan, and ashe trees.
This may be due to better protection from predators and a consistent
food and water sources due to watering of lawns and bird feeders.
Hunting
Hunting the white-winged dove continues to be a desired
recreational sport. Due to continued hunting pressures and loss of
habitat in the LRGV, TPW initiated a sanctuary system in 1978 that
alternated hunting areas along the Rio Grande River by years to keep
from over harvesting certain areas. In 1999 an estimated 607,000
white-wings were harvested in Texas. Approximately 50,700
white-winged doves were bagged in upper south Texas compared to
44,400 in the LRGV. The special white-winged dove season in the
LRGV consists of two weekends with shooting hours from noon to
sunset. It is advisable to read the regulations to regarding
white-winged dove hunting and determine the hunting areas.
Once this is established, farms with grain or corn stubble,
sunflowers, or sesame are the best areas. Also, look for watering
areas and roosting trees in the vicinity. If unfamiliar, there are
numerous outfitters, guides and even local farmers that advertise
white-wing hunting. The LRGV chambers of commerce's are
excellent sources of information. In the remaining area of south
Texas, white-winged doves are concentrated around the urban areas
and towns. Generally, the majority of white-wings are harvested in
conjunction with mourning dove season and are incidental or
bonuses in the bag. Hunting in close proximity of San Antonio,
Uvalde, Del Rio, Beeville, Mathis, will usually increase the numbers
of birds. As the white-winged dove population continues to expand
and increase throughout south Texas it is obvious that the numbers
of birds harvested will also increase, thus giving more recreation for
south Texas sportsmen
*All information courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife