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

Monica (not verified)

7 years 7 months ago

South east Portland OR
We had a pair last year and just this week they have returned.
We enjoy their singing

Aneka (not verified)

7 years 7 months ago

Every morning as a child in Clinton NC that was my wake up call. I just heard that familiar sound here in Lumberton NC.

Sue (not verified)

7 years 8 months ago

I'm hearing a mourning dove at 3 am most mornings in Boulder, CO. I first thought it was an owl, but alas it must me a dove.

Carrie (not verified)

7 years 9 months ago

This morning, I had my back porch door open when I heard a bird sound that was different from the others I hear. It did sound like an owl, which I thought was odd, so I peered out on to my porch and saw this little guy sitting in my herb garden planter, right next to my chives (the only thing still alive :) I was so intrigued by his sound, I had to look it up and as soon as I saw the picture here, I knew that was him. Their beaks and tails are unique then the sound completely confirmed it. So cool!!

Ashley (not verified)

7 years 10 months ago

We have Mourning doves in NC. I saw one in my neighbor's yard and took a picture of it.

Michelle H (not verified)

8 years 2 months ago

I now know what type of bird is hooing on the most upper branch of the tree in back of our house. It sits there all morning hooing. At first I thought it was an owl until I spotted it and realized it was a bird. Our Morning Dove is more light and dark grey in color. It's such a wonderful sound.

There must be one by our bedroom window here in SanJose. I had been wondering, hey is this dove lonely, or lost its mate? Bu I guess it's a mourning dove,so loud I could hear at front of house about forty feet away indoors..very loud!God hath made a strange creature here:)

Andrea H (not verified)

8 years 4 months ago

I live in Northwest Indiana and I was in the pool with my mom and was like that bird sounds so pretty. She told me when she lived in southern Illinois Galatia area she could here the noises when she was younger and it brought back memories. I first maybe it was an owl but I thought at this time of the day? So I googled and it she time here and it was spot on!! Love the sound and birds in general but this experience in just hearing the dove was beautiful 鉂わ笍.

Mourning Doves鈥 (not verified)

8 years 5 months ago

We have several pairs of doves in this semi-rural neighborhood on Milwaukee's far north side. My neighbor insists that the cooing is owls. his grandfather taught him that when they'd come to Wisconsin in the summers. We only have a few pairs here, but on my farm farther south in Racine county, we would have 10 or more of them sitting on the power lines. Love their soothing sound. They come to the feeders - male, female and young ones. They will eat at the feeder trays but seem to prefer eating off the ground.

Julie (not verified)

8 years 5 months ago

There has been one single mourning dove cooing on my neighbors roof off and on all day long for the past couple of weeks. Does anyone know if this means it is calling for a mate? I feel bad that he is alone.