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| Common Name: | Socorro Dove | Family: | Columbidae |
| Latin Name: | Zenaida graysoni | Diet: | Herbivore |
| Type: | Bird | Habitat: | Woodlands |
| Native To: | South America | Social Unit: | Individual |
| IUCN Red List Status: | Extinct in the wild |
Socorro doves at Edinburgh Zoo
The Socorro dove has been kept and bred at Edinburgh since 2005. This is an important species within the collection, within Europe, and indeed the world, as it is no longer found in the wild at all.
Socorro dove photo by
The Socorro dove is an EEP species, which means that it is part of a European Endangered Species breeding program. This program is managed by a coordinator, who decides which zoos will keep the species, and also which birds will breed with each other in order to maintain the best genetic diversity within the captive population.
At Edinburgh Zoo the doves receive a diet of fruit and vegetables, various seeds, shredded greens and protein in the form of insects. Although little is known of their wild diet it is likely that the birds would have fed on similar food items on Socorro.
It is hoped to reintroduce the Socorro dove back to the island of Socorro. As the only truly pure-bred Socorro doves are in the European breeding programme, October 2008 saw the transfer of 12 birds from Edinburgh and Paignton Zoos to Albuquerque Zoo in America. It is hoped that these birds or their offspring may then be sent to Socorro to set up a breeding group in aviaries already built for the purpose on the island.
Socorro dove photo by
Where can it be found at Edinburgh Zoo
The Socorro doves can be found in the aviaries north of the Indian Rhino enclosure.
Socorro doves in the wild
The Socorro dove (Zenaida graysoni) is extinct in the wild. It was endemic to Socorro Island in the Revillagigedo Islands, around 600 km off the west coast of Mexico. The last sighting of this dove in its natural habitat was in 1972. There are no more than 200 birds in captivity and probably fewer than 100 of these are pure-bred.
The introduction of sheep to the island of Socorro is thought to be one of the major reasons for their decline; the sheep ate the plants the doves probably depended upon for food and shelter. Predation by feral cats and hunting by humans are also thought to be factors in their extinction in the wild as the birds were naturally very “tame” and easy to catch. Conservation organisations are working to restore the island’s habitats so that descendants of zoo-bred birds, such as can be seen at Edinburgh, will one day repopulate the islands.
Breeding programme category: EEP
IUCN Red List category: Extinct in the Wild
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