Last of two parts
Teri Dunn contributed the following article in the Birds&Blooms magazine: “Mournings doves are beloved in backyards across America. Learn interesting facts you should know about the beautiful mourning dove.
Mourning Dove vs. Eurasian Collared Dove
“Mourning doves are often confused with Eurasian collared doves, or white-winged doves. If a thick black band is present on the collar, it’s a collared dove. You can tell white-winged doves apart by their namesake white wing stripe.
What Does a Mourning Dove Call Sound Like?
“Why do doves coo? The cooooOOOOO-woo-woo-woo call is almost always uttered by the male mourning dove, not the female. These distinctive mourning dove sounds are—wait for it—a wooing call, an enticement to a mate or potential mate. Many passionate backyard birders find the soft, distinctive cooing of this dove to be calming and utterly peaceful. ‘The birds vocalize quite a lot and that’s where they get their name, because of their mournful call,’ said John Rowden.
Unique Sleeping Position
“When they sleep, their head rests between their shoulders, close to the body (they do not tuck their little heads under their shoulder feathers, similar to a many other birds).
How Fast Do Mourning Doves Fly?
“Their long, pointed wings are almost falcon-like in appearance, while their pointed tails are longer than those of any other doves. These design features enable the birds to fly fast. Mourning doves have been clocked at 55 mph!
Mourning Doves Mate for Life
“It’s fairly common to see two mourning doves cuddling with each other. Mating pairs are monogamous and often mate for life. Another name for them is turtle doves. So, small wonder that the author of the favorite Christmas song kept them as a pair. Besides, a mourning dove in a pear tree just doesn’t sound right!
Two Eggs are Common in Mourning Dove Nests
“When they lay eggs, it is almost always just two. (Singletons are rare, as are bigger clutches.) Incubation takes just two weeks. Learn more about mourning dove nests.
“These Birds Have Good Co-Parenting Skills
“Males and females work together to feed their new babies something called ‘crop milk’ or ‘pigeon milk’ for the first few days of their lives. Rich in protein and fat, it resembles cottage cheese, is secreted by the adults’ crop lining, and is regurgitated to the little ones. Weaning is fast, though—by the fourth day of life, the diet starts to segue to seeds, and by two weeks, the youngsters are nearly fledged.
“Here’s everything you need to know about baby mourning doves.
Mourning Doves Have a Famous Ancestor
“Mourning doves are in the pigeon family and are considered closely related to the late, lamented, passenger pigeons.
Doves Are Hunted
“These doves are still hunted as a game bird in many areas and are easy prey for outdoor cats. However, I haven’t read any concerns about population decline. It’s estimated that there are more than 100 million mourning doves.
“You can spot mourning doves nearly anywhere—in cities, backyards, and even the middle of the Mojave Desert. Mourning doves are commonly found in southern Canada, the contiguous United States and northern Mexico. They are mainly attracted to open spaces, only avoiding areas with deep forests. ‘Wherever you are, you might have a mourning dove in your area,’ John Rowden said. He added that very few species are so common both geographically and seasonally,” Dunn wrote.