Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Emigrant Lake - Jackson County - Oregon - USA

 

Habitat : Open Woodlands

Food : Seeds

Nesting : Tree

Behavior : Ground Forager

Conservation : Low Concern

 

"A graceful, slender-tailed, small-headed dove that’s common across the continent. Mourning Doves perch on telephone wires and forage for seeds on the ground; their flight is fast and bullet straight. Their soft, drawn-out calls sound like laments. When taking off, their wings make a sharp whistling or whinnying. Mourning Doves are the most frequently hunted species in North America... During the breeding season, you might see three Mourning Doves flying in tight formation, one after another. This is a form of social display. Typically the bird in the lead is the male of a mated pair. The second bird is an unmated male chasing his rival from the area where he hopes to nest. The third is the female of the mated pair, which seems to go along for the ride."

- Cornell University Lab of Ornithology

 

Done