The mourning dove's drawn out "oo ahh coo coo coo" is a very forlorn
and long call. This bird is named for its mournful cry. Food Guy's earliest recollection of the sound was
when he visited his grandparents in a little town in northeast Texas.
Several birds would roam their front yard and call out early in the
morning- not that little boys need much of a wake up call to start their
days on summer vacation.
Innocent appearance and the peaceful dove name do not tell the whole
story of the mourning dove. Our backyard group likes to have first
dibs on the ground feeding areas. The tend to raise their wings
and rush at other birds who have the nerve to beat them to a raised
feeder, as well.
Of course, spring time has the males chasing the females in much the
same manner. Once the couple has decided to pair off, they sit
together on branches and seem happy with their choices and may mate for
life.
It's been said that mourning doves keep very sloppy nests and settle
almost anywhere- even hanging plants. We bought several such
plants with an eye to skimpy centers and lots of overhanging vines.
One resource suggested planting your own hanging planters just that way
to encourage nesting. So far no takers.
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Size:
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Length: 12 in.
Weight: 4.2 oz
Wingspan: 18 in.
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ID:
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Male: Slender grayish, brown bird with dark spots on the
wings and one below the ear; chest is pink; head is grayish
blue; long tail feather has black edging and side feathers
tipped in white; legs are dull red and the bill is dark;
eye has dark iris and bluish ring of bare skin.
Female: Color is plainer; tail is shorter.
Juvenile: more
slender and grayish-brown all
over; feathers are scaly looking with more spots on wings; seems
to lack blue eye ring around dark iris.
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Habitat:
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Open woodlands, forest edges, agricultural and residential
areas and park-like settings
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Diet:
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A ground feeder who loves millet, cracked corn, and in
general seeds and grains; needs course sand or small gravel to aid in digestion;
drinks water by sucking and does not have to lift head to
swallow
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Family Behavior:
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Mating Habits: Monogamous; may pair for life; loosely
colonial (nesting close together with birds of the same
species); 2-3 broods per year; starts nesting very early-late
winter even with lingering snow; believed to have longest
breeding season of all North American birds
Local Breeding Period: April
Nests: Made of loosely laid twigs in a tree or bush or on
platform (hanging pots or even on the ground); female builds
with sticks brought by the male; may do communal nesting (more
than one female lays eggs in the same nest)
Eggs: 2 plain white eggs; incubation 13-14 days by male during
the day and female at night
Nestlings: Born altricial (helpless, naked, eyes closed) and
stay in nest 12-14 days;
both parents feed extremely nutritious pigeon milk (produced in the crop and
regurgitated with seeds)
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Social Activities:
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Males aggressively defend territories during mating season; live in small groups near human habitation-farmland, towns and
cities; flight pattern is strong, swift and direct; uses a zigzag
pattern to elude predators; wings produce a whistling sound
from wind rushing through the feathers; wings clap above and
below the body during bursts of flight.
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Range:
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Breeding: Throughout most of the continental United States
and parts of Mexico and Southern Canada
Winter: May be in Central America but most stay year round in
breeding territory
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Vocalization:
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Male's mournful cry of oo ahh' coo coo coo during mating
season has given the bird its name.
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Lifespan: |
Up to 19 years |
