Mourning Dove

The Mourning Dove is a member of the dove family . The bird is also called the Western Turtle Dove or the American Mourning Dove or Rain Dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds. It is also the leading gamebird, with up to 70 million birds shot annually in the US.

The Mourning Dove is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is a member of the dove family (Columbidae). The bird is also called the Western Turtle Dove or the American Mourning Dove or Rain Dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds. It is also the leading gamebird, with up to 70 million birds shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and for meat. More

The Mourning Dove has a large range, estimated globally at 11,000,000 square kilometers. Native to the Americas and nearby island nations, this bird prefers wetland, forest, and shrubland ecosystems though it can reside on arable land or in rural and urban areas. The global population of this bird is estimated at 130,000,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Mourning Dove is Least Concern. More

The Mourning Dove in Missouri - Navigation - * The Mourning Dove in Missouri * Migration and habitat * Distribution and present status * Hunting doves * Recipes Dove History - image of passenger pigeon image of mourning dove (left) The extinct passenger pigeon, Ectopistes migratorius, lacks More

If Mourning Doves can be attracted to a platform, they prefer the wide angle of view from an open nesting platform mounted on a wall. They frequently live near people and are candidates for platforms located for great views of brood rearing. The platform for Mourning Doves and Robins has an 8" by 8" base, approximately a 8" ceiling, an open front and partially open sides. More

Mourning Doves are one of the most wide spread birds in North America. This makes them not only a popular songbird but a game bird as well. Identification and Pictures - Mourning Doves (Zenaida Macrouraare) are small slim doves about 12 inches. They are fawn-colored with black spots on their backs and pinkish-red feet and legs. Their distinctive long pointed tail with large white outer tail feathers stands out. More

Mourning Doves perch on telephone wires and forage for seeds on the ground; their flight is fast and bullet straight. Their soft, drawn-out calls sound like laments. When taking off, their wings make a sharp whistling or whinnying. Mourning Doves are the most frequently hunted species in North America. More

Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) (credit: Alvin E. Staffan — The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers)Species (Zenaida macroura) of pigeon (family Columbidae), the common wild pigeon of North America. They have long, pointed tails, and the sides of the neck are violet and pink. Their name comes from their call's haunting, mournful tone. Mourning doves are migratory; the northernmost populations migrate the farthest south. They are popular game birds. See also dove. For more information on mourning dove, visit Britannica.com. More

the Western Turtle Dove or the American Mourning Dove or Rain Dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds. It is also the leading gamebird, with up to 70 million birds shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and for meat. Its ability to sustain such pressure stems from its prolific breeding: in warm areas, one pair may raise up to six broods a year. More

Cool fact: Mourning Doves feed their nestlings crop milk or "pigeon milk," which is secreted by the crop lining. This is an extremely nutritious food with more protein and fat than is found in either cow or human milk. Crop milk, which is regurgitated by both adults, is the exclusive food of hatchlings for three days, after which it is gradually replaced by a diet of seeds. 200pmcqmoudov. More

Adult Mourning Dove sitting on a nest. More

The mourning dove must have been one of the first birds that attracted the attention of the early settlers when this country was new and wild. They must have recognized the bird as not far removed from some of the Old-World species of pigeons, and its notes must have recalled to them their old home. The writers of these times speak of the bird familiarly, especially as a game bird that relieved the hardships of pioneer life. More

The Mourning Dove, A Classic Canyon Bird By Damian Fagan - The Mourning Dove To hear the call of the mourning dove ooAAH-cooo-coo-coo, one might guess that this plaintive song is from a bird in despair. That is what early naturalists believed when they heard this “mournful” song. We now know that this anthropomorphic view is incorrect. These birds do not mourn for lost ones—their beautiful songs are for breeding and territorial displays. More

Pair of Mourning Doves on a Los Angeles Balcony Click here to see a series of photos of a pair of mourning doves and their babies taken by Gary Friedman of West Los Angeles. Click here to go to the Mourning Dove Baby Growth page to see a series of photos taken by Casey Musser in Springfield, Missouri. These photos show the appearance of babies at the ages of 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, and 12 days. More

Mourning Doves are pigeon-like birds that grow up to 12 inches long. Their coloring is tannish-gray with black spots on their wings. They have long, pointed tails with a white tip. Mourning Doves live in fields, parks, open woods, and roadsides. They are one of our most common birds. People hear Mourning Doves almost every day. Their low mournful song is easy to recognize. Mourning Doves can be found in our area year-round. More

The mourning doves is one of the most abundant and widely distributed bird species in the United States. The current continent-wide population estimate is over 400 million in the fall migration. Mourning doves are abundant in Michigan, especially south of a line from Bay City to Ludington. Conservative population surveys estimate that 4 million birds migrate from Michigan each fall. Michigan currently participates in two national surveys: the Dove Call-count Survey and the Breeding Bird Survey. More

Mourning Dove Ministries is a non-profit coaching and counseling ministry that offers practical help to make good marriages better, and hope and healing for troubled marriages. We walk couples through a proven process that focuses on the resolution and healing of deeply seated pain in order to break the dysfunctional patterns in the marriage. More

Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) are found in all counties of the Texas Panhandle, in every month of the year, and are an important migratory upland game bird. Resident populations occur year-round in our area. Cold fronts often move doves from the central United States southward into the Texas Panhandle and temporarily increase populations during late August, September, and early October; however, periods of wet weather often force doves southward out of the Texas Panhandle. More

The Mourning Dove is from 11 to 13 inches long, with a wingspan of 17 to 19 inches. Weights range from 4.5 to 6 ounces. The small black spot on the face distinguished it from the now extinct Passenger Pigeon. Mourning Dove Figure 1 - Mourning Dove Mourning Dove Face Figure 2 - Mourning Dove Face Male Mourning Doves establish a territory in early spring. More