Join me for more bird watching in our urban yard. Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) are in the dove family, Columbidae. They are native to North America and their range spans the continental United States, extending north into Southern Canada and south into Mexico and the Bermuda archipelago. They are in shades of gray, brown, and tan, with black spots on the wings and sometimes on the neck.
Mourning Doves make a distinctive mournful call by puffing up the throat while keeping the bill closed. The wings make a whistling sound upon take-off and landing, using sonation (sounds produced by bird body parts other than vocal organs).
Where California scrub jays have moxie, mourning doves seem serene, sedate, and wary. They spend a lot of time foraging in grass and wood chips for insects, and even resting on the ground. Mourning doves approach the water dish stealthily, taking their time. They drink, and then often fly straight upward as though startled (or, are they startling the observer)? Enjoy time with our local wildlife.
Learn More:
- The Cornell Lab, All About Birds: Mourning Dove. Listen to sound recordings of their mournful calls and fluttering wings.
- Wikipedia: Mourning Dove. Learn more about the birds, their range, migration, breeding, and sounds.
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