Mourning dove

The Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) is found throughout the United States, parts of Canada, Mexico and parts of Central America. The Mourning dove is a ground feeder that eats seeds, insects and snails. A crop contains the seeds until the Mourning dove flies to higher ground to eat. Unlike humans, Mourning doves can drink brackish water without dehydration. Currently, there are two subspecies of the Mourning dove found in the United States. They are Zenaida macroura ssp. carolinensis (Linnaeus) occurs east of the Mississippi River,, and Z. macroura ssp. marginella (Woodhouse) occurs in the western two-thirds of the United States. The western Mourning dove is slightly smaller and paler in color than the Eastern species of Mourning dove. An intermediate form of the two species is found in a zone ranging from Michigan through eastern Texas.

Mourning doves are plumpish looking birds, with round bodies, and a small head. Their bill is small as well as their legs. They have an elongated tail that is pointed.

Coloration: Both sexes of the Mourning dove appear similar. The back of the bird will have a grayish-brown color and the undersides will appear buff in color. There will be black spots on the wings and behind the eye. The color white can be seen on the tail feathers when the Mourning dove is in flight. Juvenile Mourning doves will have buff coloring on the tips of their primary feathers. This coloration will disappear after their first molt.

Appearance

Males and females range between 9.1 to 13.4 inches (23 to 24 centimeters) in length. Wingspan is 17.4 inches or 45 centimeters for both sexes.

Male: 9.1 to 13.4 inches or 23 to 24 centimeters length. Wingspan is 17.4 inches or 45 centimeters. Weight is 3.4 to 6 ounces or 96 to 170 grams. Females weigh slighly less than males. The weight range for the Mourning dove is between 3 to 6 ounces or 96 to 170 grams.

Migration

Mourning doves residing in northern sections of the United States and Canada migrate to southern regions including Mexico. Southern Mourning doves may migrate for short distances or winter over in their present habitat.

Reproduction

Mourning doves are monogamous and it has been reported some pairs stay together throughout the winter. Nesting takes place between mid-March to mid-September. Mourning doves go through a courtship ritual, bond, and a few days later start to build the nest. Nest building takes up to 10 hours to complete. After the nest is completed, the female normally lays a clutch of two white eggs. Approximately 15 days later the young birds hatch. The young Mourning doves leave the next about two weeks after they are hatched.

Male Mourning doves normally incubate the eggs during the day while the female incubates the eggs during the night. Both birds take turns feeding the young doves, also called squabs, when the birds are in the nest. During the first three to four days the squabs are fed crop milk, an energy rich substance that is produced in the crops of both male and female parents. Later both parents feed the bird regurgitated seeds.

Predators Mourning dove predators include humans, hawks (Accipitridae), owls (Stringidae and Tytonidae), cats (Felidae), dogs (Canidae), blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata), and squirrels

Mortality Mourning doves usually have a short life span and a high mortality rate. Approximately 6 out of 10 Mourning doves will not survive from one year to the next. Other sources report an average lifespan of 1.5 years. The oldest recorded age for a wild Mourning dove was 19.3 years old.

There Mourning dove population is abundant and is not considered a threatened species.