Mourning Dove

Description:

This is a small to medium sized dove that is grayish brown in color with black spots on wings, and short legs. The tail is long and pointed.

Habitat:

Open country, areas where trees are sparse/scattered, woodland edges, and urban areas. Can be found feeding in fields, backyards, and grasslands. Range: Can be found in the continental U.S., southern Canada, and through southern areas of Central America during the winter. Ref: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mour... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mourning_d...

Notes:

We saw this pair of doves in a field next to our classroom. We often see White-winged doves, but rarely see these doves in this area. Fun Facts: These doves feed primarily on seeds. They have a special "crop" (an enlarged esophagus) in which they store seeds for later consumption. One dove was recorded as having 17,200 bluegrass seeds in its' crop. Mourning doves have an estimated population of 350 million. The oldest of these birds was recorded to be approximately 30 years old. It was banded in 1968 and died in 1998. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mour...