The West Peruvian Dove, Zenaida meloda, was first described in 1843 by the Swiss naturalist Johan Jakob von Tschudi. It is closely related to the North American White Winged Dove, but is now considered a separate species by ornithologists due to genetic and behavioral differences.
They are a brownish-gray bird with a bold white wing patch that appears as a brilliant white crescent in flight and is also visible at rest. Adults have a bright blue featherless patch of skin around each eye. The legs and feet of adults are red. Both sexes are similar.