Reprinted from May 12, 2022
Last of three parts
Teri Dunn contributed the following article in the Birds&Blooms magazine: “Mourning doves are beloved in backyards across America. Readers can learn interesting facts to know on the beautiful mourning dove.
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.