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Project Noah Nature School
Zenaida macroura
The bird is also called the Turtle Dove or the American Mourning Dove or Rain Dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds. The wings can make an unusual whistling sound upon take-off and landing. The bird is a strong flier, capable of speeds up to 88 km/h (55 mph). Males and females are similar in appearance. The species is generally monogamous, with two squabs (young) per brood. Both parents incubate and care for the young. Mourning Doves eat almost exclusively seeds, but the young are fed crop milk by their parents.
The species is resident throughout the Greater Antilles, most of Mexico, the Continental United States, and southern Canada. Seen in my yard.
Because I put seed not only in bird feeders but also on the ground, the mourning doves often find something to their taste in my yard. They come to visit every day.
Spotted on May 23, 2012
Submitted on May 23, 2012
4 Comments
Thanks again, Brandon. I love their cooing.
Excellent series Maria! We have several nesting pair here, some in the half acre pines behind the barn and a pair right upfront nested in the blackberry bushes I planted in the hedge row.
They are a very welcome addition to the plethora of bird species living here. :-)
Thanks, Cindy. Here I have only seen birds with the iridescent pink patch and the brighter it is, the more indicative it is of being a male although females also have that. I haven't seen any around here with yellow before.
Beautiful! I love the color patch they have near the neck. Most of the time it shines pink like this one but I've seen yellow before.