Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Mourning Dove

Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

The Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura, is a member of the dove family, Columbidae. It is a medium-sized, slender bird with a soft, grayish-brown plumage and a long, pointed tail. It is known for its gentle appearance and mournful cooing, which has given rise to its name.

Identification Tips

Adult Mourning Doves have light gray and brown feathers with a slightly pinkish hue on the underside. Males and females are similar, but males may exhibit more vibrant purple-pink patches on the neck. The eyes are surrounded by light blue skin, and a distinctive crescent of dark feathers lies below the eye. The tail is long and tapered, with the outer feathers being white, providing a stark contrast to the black inner feathers.

Habitat

Mourning Doves are found in a variety of open and semi-open habitats, including urban environments, farms, prairies, grasslands, and areas with sparse woodland. They tend to avoid dense forests and swamps.

Distribution

This species is widespread across North America, from southern Canada through the United States, Mexico, and into Central America. It is also found in the Greater Antilles and Bermuda.

Behaviour

Mourning Doves are known for their swift and direct flight, capable of reaching speeds up to 55 mph. They are strong fliers and exhibit a unique whistling sound from their wings during take-off and landing. These birds are also known for their sunbathing and rain bathing behaviors, often lying on the ground with one wing stretched out.

Song & Calls

The male Mourning Dove's call is a sorrowful cooOOoo-wooo-woo-woooo, which is used to attract a mate. Other vocalizations include a soft ork when greeting and a short roo-oo as an alarm call. The wing whistle during flight is a distinctive characteristic of this species.

Breeding

Mourning Doves are generally monogamous and may raise multiple broods in a single year, especially in warmer regions. Both parents share in the incubation duties and care for the young, known as squabs. The nests are often built with twigs and are relatively flimsy in construction.

Similar Species

The Mourning Dove may be confused with other dove species, but its long, pointed tail and distinctive wing whistle during flight are key identification features.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of Mourning Doves consists almost exclusively of seeds. They forage on the ground and have been observed eating a wide variety of plant seeds, showing preferences for certain species.

Conservation status

The Mourning Dove is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. It is one of the most abundant and widespread birds in North America, and despite being a popular gamebird, it has maintained a stable population due to its prolific breeding habits.

Mourning Dove Sounds

β€Œ
Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Mourning Dove Fun Facts

Did you know?
The Mourning Dove has a sad and mournful call, from which it gets its name.
Did you know?
The Mourning Dove is the national bird of British Virgin Islands

Mourning Doves on Birda

Sightings

More Pigeons, Doves

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
Carrie
Makes you want to spot birds more
I think this app is fun. It makes you want to spot birds more so I guess in a way it encourages you to get out and about instead of sitting in front of the TV.
Marlster24
Very Wholesome App
Joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter πŸ˜„
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
Mike T
Sense of Community
A great app, which is continually being improved. What really comes through is the passion of those behind the app. The sense of community is brilliant, so much help and support provided to new and/or in experienced birders.
Foxgirl100
Great app for beginner twitchers
I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter πŸ˜ƒ
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright Β© 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.