[3][4] The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) and the Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) recognize two subspecies, the nominate L. b. battyi and L. l. malae.

The American Ornithological Society (AOS) and the Clements taxonomy include those subspecies in the grey-headed dove.

[4] The nominate subspecies of Azuero dove is found only on Coiba Island off the south-central Panamanian coast.

L. l. malae is found on the Pacific slope of west central Panama and Cébaco Island off its shore.

On the mainland it is mostly found in hilly areas including Cerro Hoya but has a wider elevational range on Coiba.