Geotrygon


Geotrygon is a bird genus in the pigeon and dove family. Its members are called quail-doves, and all live in the Neotropics. The species of this genus have ranges from southern Mexico and Central America to the West Indies and South America, with 2 species recorded as occasional vagrants reported in Texas and Florida in the United States. Quail-doves are ground-dwelling pigeons that live, nest, and feed in dense forests. They are remarkable for their vivid coloration with light-and-dark facial markings.

Taxonomy

The genus Geotrygon was introduced in 1847 by English naturalist Philip Henry Gosse. The name combines the Ancient Greek geō- meaning "ground-" and trygōn meaning "turtledove". The type species was subsequently designated as the crested quail-dove.

Species

The genus contains nine species:
;Fossils
Members of the genera Zentrygon and Leptotrygon are also known as quail-doves, and were formerly included in Geotrygon. The Cuban species Starnoenas cyanocephala was previously referred to as a quail-dove, though this English name is no longer used.