蜜桃恋人

Bird Sounds: Mourning Doves

A mourning dove rests on a warm rock.

Photo Credit
Photo by US Fish and Wildlife via Wikimedia Commons

Mourning Dove Calls

Heidi Stonehill
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The mourning dove, with its soft coo and graceful flight, is a familiar sight and sound across North America. This gentle bird, found in backyards, parks, and open fields, holds a special place in the hearts of many. Whether you’re an aspiring birdwatcher or simply curious about these ubiquitous feathered neighbors, dive into the fascinating world of the mourning dove!

Mourning Doves: More Than Just a Pretty Face

  • The Most Widespread Bird in North America: Mourning doves boast an impressive population exceeding 350 million across the continent, making them the most abundant game bird and a common backyard visitor.
  • Identify Mourning Doves: Look for their slender grey bodies, long tails, and the black spots adorning their wings. Their gentle cooing call is also a helpful identifier.
  • Unexpectedly Fast Flyers: Don’t underestimate these seemingly unassuming birds! Reaching speeds of up to 55 mph, mourning doves are swift fliers, capable of impressive bursts of speed during courtship displays and evading predators.
  • Masters of Adaptability: These resourceful birds thrive in diverse habitats, from deserts to woodlands to urban parks. Their diet of seeds and grains allows them to flourish in a variety of environments.
  • A Symphony of Coos: The mourning dove’s signature call, a mournful yet strangely comforting coo, is a familiar sound in backyards and natural areas. This vocalization plays a crucial role in attracting mates and defending territories.
    Beyond the Backyard:
  • Cultural Significance: Mourning doves have earned a place in folklore and traditions across North America. Native American tribes revered them as symbols of peace and hope, while their cooing often found its way into poetry and music.
  • Conservation Concerns: While abundant overall, localized populations can face threats from habitat loss and pesticide use. Understanding these challenges and supporting conservation efforts helps ensure the future of this beloved bird.

Attracting Mourning Doves

You can attract Mourning Doves to your garden by providing access to water sources and planting native seed-bearing plants like sunflowers and millet. Open platforms or ground feeders filled with seeds like safflower and corn will offer a tasty invitation.

More Than Just a Name

The mourning dove’s name may evoke melancholy, but this adaptable and captivating bird embodies resilience and grace. Whether you’re observing their graceful flight or listening to their soothing calls, appreciate the presence of these feathered neighbors and learn more about their vital role in our ecosystem.

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Click here to listen to the sounds of other birds!

Have you heard a Mourning Dove? Add your comments below. Be sure to let us know where you live or where you’ve heard this bird sound before!

Bird Sounds
About The Author

Heidi Stonehill

Heidi Stonehill is the executive editor for The Old Farmer鈥檚 蜜桃恋人, where she focuses much of her time on managing content development for the 蜜桃恋人鈥檚 line of calendars. Read More from Heidi Stonehill
 

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Comments

Linda (not verified)

4 years 5 months ago

We normally don't see mourning doves in the Pacific Northwest but on the rear occasions that we do, they're always in a pair. If I'm correct, I understand they mate for life. My grandmother used to say that when you see a mourning dove, a loved one has passed on. Sure enough, I received word the next day that a very dear friend died. Silly I know, but hmmmmm.....

Anna Marie Reeder (not verified)

4 years 6 months ago

the morning doves love my back yard and seem to be here year round. Hang out close to the house and on my deck.

Steve Stokes (not verified)

4 years 6 months ago

We have two that spend a lot of time in our yard. In the morning they are foraging, and we hear their calls in the evenings.

Kathy (not verified)

4 years 7 months ago

We have some visit us to eat with our chickens!

Rick Kersey (not verified)

4 years 8 months ago

I am in Toledo, Ohio. It's 3/26/20 was just listening to a mourning dove which is actually nested in front of my house!

Teresa Knight (not verified)

5 years 6 months ago

I'm in Simpson County Mississippi & I've been seeing & hearing Doves since the 3rd week of February. So far this year I've seen 4 pairs in my front yard!

Teesie (not verified)

5 years 6 months ago

My son lives in Tempe,AZ and as I鈥檓 sitting outside in the cooler morning there is a very vocal Mourning Dove on the electric wires behind his house and I have heard 鈥渉im鈥 every day on my visit

Faye (not verified)

5 years 8 months ago

I see Mourning Doves all the time around my property in Pennsylvania. I usually see them in pairs. I believe they started popping out in late February, early March. I hear them the loudest at 6am, when I have my dogs out. All the birds are so loud, it鈥檚 beautiful!

Deborah Ortega (not verified)

5 years 8 months ago

I live in Westminster, Colorado and I have a pair of Mourning Doves that visit me. They are kind of bullies if the sparrows are eating they just walk up and the smaller birds fly away. I hear their call usually in the morning.

Rumman (not verified)

5 years 11 months ago

I'm in southeast Michigan and year 2018 is ending. Last time i heard mourning dove's 'mourning call' was in late august, though they all do come to our patio to eat grain regularly. I'm wondering if its possible that some of them communicated among themselves that some people (humans) consider their calls as melancholy to their moods and doves eventually (learnt to) stop them. I'm anxious to know if anyone else observes that.