The Mourning Dove

The Mourning Dove is a medium-sized dove approximately 12 inches in length. Its plumage is a light grayish-brown on its head and back and has a pinkish tinge on its breast and belly. It has black spots on its wings and its tail feathers are black on the inside but the outer feathers are white. The eyes are dark with an area of light skin around them. Just below the eye there is a distinctive crescent shaped area of dark feathers. The adult males have a purplish-pink patch along side its neck that wraps around to its breast

The Mourning Dove is a slender dove with broad, elliptical wings. Its head is round and its tail long and tapered. The Mourning Dove has what is commonly referred to as perching feet with 3 toes forward and one reversed. The legs are short and reddish in color.

The Mourning Dove has a large range that spans from southern Canada down through Mexico and Central America. They are a migratory bird but are year round residents in the temperate areas within their range.

They can be found in a wide variety of habitats such as farms, prairies, grasslands, and lightly wooded areas. They can also be found nesting in the trees around urban parks. Mourning Doves are highly adaptable but generally prefer open and semi-open environments avoiding densely wooded areas.

The Mourning Dove's mating ritual begins with the male making a noisy flight. Once he has the female's attention, his flight switches to a graceful ballet. He will glide in a circular pattern with his wings outstretched and his head down. Landing in front of the female, the male puffs out his breast, bobs his head, and calls to the female. Once paired, they will spend time preening each other's feathers. They form strong pair bonds and are monogamous, often staying together throughout the year.

When in comes to finding an acceptable nesting site, the male takes the lead but ultimately the decision falls to the female. It's her choice. The female Mourning Dove will build the nest while the male gathers the material.

The nest is a flimsy collection of pine needles, grass blades, and small twigs. If the pair was lucky enough to find an abandoned nest, they will use that. Most nests are built in the trees, but they can also be found tucked in shrubs or atop a building. As a last resort, they will even nest on the ground.

The female rarely lays more than 2 eggs. The male will take a turn incubating the nest during the morning and early afternoon, but late afternoon and throughout the night the female assumes the responsibility. The next is rarely if ever left unattended.

The eggs are incubated for approximately 2 weeks. The downy young are called squabs and are helpless at hatching. For the first few days they survive on pigeon's milk. Within a few days the milk is augmented with seeds. They grow fast and fledge within 11 to 15 days. They stay close to the nest and continue to be fed by the adults for a few more weeks.

The Mourning Dove is a prolific breeder, sometimes raising up to 6 broods per season. The fast turnaround is essential to the survival of the species as the mortality rate is so high.

Mourning Doves are seed eaters. They eat the widest variety of seeds of any of the North American bird. They are often seen foraging on the ground beneath birdfeeders. They will not scratch or dig for seeds but will readily pick up the corn, millet, safflower, and sunflower seeds knocked from the feeder by other birds. It is not uncommon for Mourning Doves to ingest sand and gravel as well. It's their form of roughage. It helps with digestion.

The Mourning Dove is quite vocal. Its call is plaintive. The woo-oo-oo-oo is sad and sweet as if it's mourning the loss of its best friend.

The Bold and Beautiful
The American Goldfinch
The Blue Jay
The Northern Cardinal

Cheerful Singers
The European Starling
The Northern Mockingbird
The American Robin
The Shy Ones
The Eastern Bluebird
The Carolina Wren

Dunn, J.L. & Alderfer, J., Editors. 2006. National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition. National Geographic Society.

Peterson, T.P. & Peterson, V.M. 2002. Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, N.Y.

Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology
Seattle Audubon Society