Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
Summary
Mourning doves are found all over the United States in a variety of habitats including yards and parks, cities, agricultural areas, woodland edges, and other open areas. They are named for their mournful, plaintive call: cooOOoo-wooo-woo-woooo, which is sometimes mistaken for an owl hooting. Male and female mourning doves both produce “crop milk,” a protein-rich food, to feed to their nestlings.
Learn more about mourning doves here.
More Details
FAMILY
Columbidae (Dove and Pigeons)
IDENTIFICATION
Tan to brown bodies with black spots on the wings. Small heads and long tails.
HABITAT
Open woodlands, grasslands, agricultural areas, yards
DIET
Granivorous (seeds and grains)
Ecosystem Connections
Although mourning doves are found year-found in Pennsylvania, they are migratory – individuals found in the summer and winter may not be the same birds. The SBG, with its plentiful open areas, seed-producing plants, and trees and shrubs, provides food, cover, and nesting sites for mourning doves.