ÃÛÌÒÁµÈË

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
No content available.

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.

Read Next

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’s ÃÛÌÒÁµÈË, where she focuses much of her time on managing content development for the ÃÛÌÒÁµÈË’s line of calendars. Read More from Heidi Stonehill
 

No content available.
More Like This

Comments

Robert (not verified)

7 years 4 months ago

I live in western Kansas and these birds are so prevalent here they drive me nuts.
Their constant repetitive cooing (wailing) in the mornings deprive everyone of a
full night's sleep. Not only that but they use my wooden mailbox and the railing
on my wooden deck as their private bathrooms. I do love most birds but these
I could do without.

MC (not verified)

7 years 4 months ago

We have them, live in suburbs of KCMO close to the outskirts of town, borderline farmland. They sing in the evenings. Reminds me of my childhood, then they would sing in the evening also. We have owls too. I love hearing them. It doesn't mean anything superstitious. I know why the owls are in my yard- lots of voles and moles tearing up my garden! Go owl go! Get those pesky critters!

Diane (not verified)

7 years 4 months ago

Trenton, NJ - sounds kind of sad.

Paula (not verified)

7 years 5 months ago

I live in Washington, DC. Every spring I see two doves that seem to live in the alley in back of my house. Everytime I go out to the alley they are there and fly away as I approach the alley. Every few days I hear a mourning dove call out a song so loud you can hear it a block away. He sings for about 2 minutes, then stops. I have seen two mourning doves in my alley, and sometimes in my backyard for years, as far back as I can remember. I know I've noticed them for the last 6 years at least.

Dena Hergenrider (not verified)

7 years 5 months ago

I live in southern Montana, a town called Belfry, north of the Wy. state line. We have had morning doves for years out in our pine trees. This year however they have been singing constantly all day for weeks it seems. Never have noticed this before. We don't mind it, we just wonder why?

Trish Olson (not verified)

7 years 6 months ago

I have had doves come back to the same nest for the 3rd year in a row this spring. Many families raised over the years except for one baby didn't make it & one egg was abandoned. It broke my heart! We've already seen them successfully raise two babies this spring. I've seen a male bring twigs back and forth while his two children wait patiently for him. I see them fly together, at the bird bath together & dad teaching them to eat & fly. They've got flying down pretty well now but no where near as good as dad. I noticed we now have two nests in the same pine tree. This one is quite new so I'm not sure if the old one had mites so they built a new one or if it's a different families. It's definitely a doves nest but when I last looked, it wasn't quite finished. I know "my" doves by their markings & how comfortable they are around me. I don't touch them although we have put fledglings back in the nest after they fell out from a bad storm. They weren't old enough to leave yet so we scooped them up and set them back in the nest. Mom & dad came back to feed and stay with them at night. This year they were too old so both parents kept trying to push them out but they stayed on the edge of the tree for hours before flying to the ground. It was kind of funny to watch as they kept pushing & pushing but one fledging just kept going back to the nest. I even saw both parents literally sitting in the nest with him/her like "get out of here, you are too big"! I eventually saw dad with them on the ground as well as watching from above. My husband & I just love watching them every year from as early as April this year to early to as late as mid October some years. Their song is so peaceful and soothing. I'm quite protective when it comes to our doves that when a crow is near, I walk around my backyard until I hear all of the birds start singing again & cannnot hear or see the crow. Our doves don't mind us or our dogs so they're not frightened when we are around. They often come pretty close to us while outside doing yard work or just sitting on the deck. I'm looking forward to watching them this year & hope they keep coming back. I know I will be devistated if/when they ever stop returning. For now I will enjoy them for as long as I can.

emily (not verified)

7 years 7 months ago

I live in Southern Illinois and hear this noise daily, especially in the mornings, usually they sit right outside of my window and wake me up. Honestly kind of used to it by this point!

Melissa (not verified)

7 years 7 months ago

Kiefer, Oklahoma
We have a pair sitting in our red bud tree. We hear them every morning.

LaDonna (not verified)

7 years 7 months ago

I live in Derry PA and have a pair that live around my house. I hear them every morning

Evonne (not verified)

7 years 7 months ago

I have heard the Mourning dove in just about every state I've moved to in the past 5 yrs. Starting in Florida to Michigan to Illinois to Ohio to Virginia and back to Ohio. Kinda made me feel right at home.