At a Glance
The Brazilian grasslands known as the Cerrado are among the most biodiverse ecosystems of their kind, providing habitat to thousands of species found nowhere else. Among them is the Blue-eyed Ground-dove, a mostly cinnamon-colored bird with vivid blue eyes and matching wing spots.
Although it was historically common in its grassland habitat, the species has never been found in significant numbers; in fact, there were only two sightings between 1946 and 2015, when ornithologist Rafael Bessa heard an unfamiliar call in the state of Minas Gerais, east of the bird’s known range. Subsequent searches found a small population in the area, and a new protected area (Botumirim State Park) was created in part to protect this population.
In the decades when the Blue-eyed Ground-dove was lost to science, its habitat was quickly disappearing. The Cerrado is thought to be one of the most threatened ecosystems in Brazil; nearly half of its native vegetation is estimated to have been destroyed by cattle grazing, burning for conversion to eucalyptus plantations and fields of soybeans and other crops, and the spread of invasive grasses.
Fortunately, conservationists have already made progress toward stabilizing the Blue-eyed Ground-dove population. In 2023, the first two chicks were successfully hand-raised from eggs, thanks to the recent development of an artificial pigeon milk by the Toledo Zoo and partners, which helped the chicks survive those crucial early days. At the time, these two chicks represented 12% of the entire known species population. Since then, caretakers have hand-raised several additional chicks thanks to the support of a plethora of organizations, setting the stage for expanding this recovery effort.
At a glance
Taxa
Birds
Geography
Brazil
Status
Critically Endangered
Habitat
Subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland
Estimated Population
Fewer than 50 mature individuals
Threats
Agricultural expansion; conversion of native vegetation; habitat degradation; fire
Potential Recovery Actions
Habitat protection and management; monitoring and research; conservation planning
