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Abstract
The common ground dove, Columbina passerina, is the smallest species of dove in North America and inhabits open pine woodlands and shrub-scrub habitats (Johnston 1964, Jones and Mirarchi 1990). The subspecies residing in the southeastern United States, C. p. passerina, were once prevalent across their range, but have seen population declines over the last 20-40 years (Bowman and Woolfenden 1997, Cely and Glover 2000). The exact causes of these declines have not been identified (Cox 1987, Cely and Glover 2000). In contrast to the range-wide population declines, common ground doves are commonly seen on Red Hills properties that have been managed for northern bobwhite, Colinus virginianus. (Morris et al. 2010, Smith et al. 1982). Although anecdotal, this evidence suggests that management practices for bobwhite may have a positive effect on common ground doves and may be responsible for locally increasing dove populations.