Mourning Dove - Ross Feldner

Doves are known as a symbol of peace but the Mourning Doves on my feeders did not get the memo. They are aggressive and combative, pushing out each other and other species often by flicking their wings at them.

The Mourning Dove is also known as the American Mourning Dove, the Rain Dove, the Chueybird, and colloquially as the Turtle Dove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread North American birds and a popular gamebird, with more than 20 million birds shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and meat. Because it is a prolific breeder, it has the ability to sustain its population under this pressure. One pair of Mourning Doves can raise up to six broods each year! It is estimated that there are 350 million of them in the U.S. alone.

When startled they take off making a unusual whistling sound, a form of sonation. Their flight is agile and straight as an arrow, capable of reaching speeds up to 55 mph.

Their name, Mourning Doves, comes from one of their coo-ing calls. Those who heard the call often found it sad or mournful. The well-known “cooOOoo-woo-woo-woooo” call is almost always made by the male.