Socorro Dove
The hope of returning these birds to the wild may become a reality some day.
Socorro dove in Tropical America.
Socorro doves (Zenaida graysoni), which lived exclusively on Socorro Island off the coast of Mexico, are extinct in the wild. The Socorro Dove Project is an international endeavor of zoos to return Socorro doves back to their native home. The ABQ BioPark is home to about one-third of the entire Socorro dove population. Our zoo has a very successful breeding program, and biologists are sending birds to other zoos to help increase genetic diversity.
Our Actions Matter
You can help endangered birds:
- Become a backyard birder and learn about the migratory birds that come through Albuquerque.
- Learn about bird research at the UNM Ornithology Lab.
- Visit the New Mexico Audubon Society, an organization working on bird conservation and education.