The Mourning Doves Coo may sound sad, but it can be a signal of the dove beginning its nesting habits of claiming territory, calling a mate, and raising young.
The coo sound that a dove makes is the reason they are called Mourning Doves.
Something unique to this species of dove is some of the places they decide to build a nest.
As you can see, this pair is in a hanging plant, and further down an old Robin nest on top of the security light at the back of the house is used. Two healthy squabs were raised from this nest.
Dove Pair in Flower Planter
The Mourning Dove is slimmer than the pigeon and is about 12 inches in length. The Mourning Dove has a soft gray-brown body and a gray patch on the head.
Black dots on their wings and a single black spot behind and below the eyes.
When perching, you'll notice a long tapered tail. In-flight, you'll see that the tail has a white-edged band.
Found in Canada and all the lower 48 states, down to Mexico. Also common in most types of habitats, excluding forested or wetland areas.
Doves are common at bird feeders and will eat a variety of seeds. Try placing bird seed on a Feeder Doves Love like this one. It's important to keep the seed off the ground.
Some of their favorites include White millet, safflower, and cracked corn. These are the most common seeds that Mourning Doves eat.
Try offering Dove Safflower seed and you'll also get Northern Cardinals eating at your feeders along with Doves.
For more information on seeds and photos of each, please see our Bird Seed Page.
Doves prefer open land with a scattering of trees and shrubs.
During winter, mourning doves sleep in dense evergreens that protect them from weather and predators.
The Mourning Dove is one of the most widespread and common birds in North America due to its habitat adaptability.
The best garden habitat includes an open lawn, herbaceous borders, and flower beds, with scattered patches of trees and shrubs.
Include a source of water close to the ground (in winter, see: heated bird baths) in addition to providing bird seed and you should be able to attract these birds all year.
Mourning Doves nest on and in a lot of unusual places. They do not nest on the ground, which is a question we get asked often.
Beginning as early as March, Mourning Doves nest and begin building their nest, which is a loose nest of twigs, grass, weeds, and pine needles. Taking 2 - 4 days to complete.
I stress loose because their nest can be so lightly put together that often you can see through it from the bottom.
Many folks wonder if they should help the birds out. Mostly, I suggest leaving it alone, but I'm not there looking at it like you are.
If startled, they may fly off the nest too quickly and the eggs could fall from the nest.
Birdwatchers would be wise to wait until the eggs have hatched before approaching any nest.
Nest abandonment is very common with Doves. If they feel any threat from predators, whether human or animal, they may go elsewhere to nest, abandoning both eggs and nestlings.
Dove Eggs in Nest
The Mourning Dove nest can be found 5-25 feet above the ground, often in the crotch of a shrub or tree. Doves lay 2 white eggs that the doves sit on (incubate) for 14 to 15 days before they hatch.
When the mourning dove babies hatch, the adults will brood them continually for 4 to 5 days. You may not know that the dove's eggs have hatched during this time.
By day 6 or 7, if the weather cooperates, the adults will begin to leave them alone. Sometimes for long periods.
Night brooding of the mourning dove babies stops by day 9 or 10 and the young will leave the nest by day 12-14.
Mourning Dove Nesting Stats | |
---|---|
Eggs | 1 - 2 |
Incubation | 14 - 15 days |
Nestling Phase | 12 - 14 days |
Broods | 2 - 3 |
They have been known to reuse the same nest for five sets of eggs in a single season. Usually, 2 - 3 broods are raised each season.
The peak of the breeding season is April - July, although they may breed as late as October in some areas.
Pairs stay together (monogamous) through the season and some may pair up in the following seasons.
You can try attracting them to nest near you by placing a Dove Nesting Shelf attached to a tree or your house.
Another trick I've tried was to use a hanging plant container.
I fill the container with soil and top it off with some White Pine needles. White Pines have very soft needles unlike, many other types of pine trees.
I place the hanging container under a porch or below the roof of my garden gate.
If placed on your deck or porch, make sure you hang it close to the outside of the deck or porch.
Mourning Doves, along with Pigeons, produce a food called pigeon milk (not really milk) by glands in the crop of the adult bird.
The parent opens its mouth wide, permitting the nestling to stick its head inside to feed on the nutritious food.
In a few days, the "milk" feeding subsides and the adults will begin feeding the young squabs regurgitated seeds. Adults will keep feeding the young for about a month after hatching.
The adults will teach and help the young for a short time after the young leave the nest.
In the wild, the adult birds feed primarily on field waste grain. These include corn, wheat, grass, and weed seeds.
You can attract these birds to your feeder by supplying white and red proso millet, oil-type sunflower seeds, and cracked corn.
Often emails from bird watchers arrive asking, "Our dove has not left the nest in days. Will she starve or die of thirst? What should we do?"
Unlike most birds, Doves incubate their eggs continually. Since the male and female look alike, it appears the same bird is incubating the eggs the whole time.
The male does the daytime shift, and the female does the night shift. If you are around mid-morning or mid-afternoon, you might get to see them change places.
Not to worry though, the switch was made while you were not looking.
People ask if Mourning doves mate for life. Often worrying about what happens when one of the doves dies.
Mourning doves are not considered to be strictly monogamous and do not necessarily mate for life, as a species.
While some mourning doves do form long-term pair bonds and may stay together for multiple breeding seasons, many others do not.
Still, Mourning Doves do exhibit a range of mating behaviors that can include both monogamous and non-monogamous behaviors, depending on various factors such as location, population dynamics, and individual variation.
Here is where you can find our definition of the term Birds Mating for Life.
I guess people would like to know what a surviving dove will do if its mate dies.
Sometimes the surviving dove will attempt to incubate the eggs or continue feeding the nestlings.
This is a hard task for a single bird and is often unsuccessful.
In due course, the surviving dove will find a new mate.
Since they nest several times a season, (2 - 3 is normal) they may raise a successful brood in the same season with a new mate.
While it's sad to lose these birds in your yard, be comforted knowing they will mate again.
According to the Cornell website, (All About Birds) average lifespan for first-year birds is 1 - 1.5 years.
First-year doves have a mortality rate of 60 - 75 percent and adults have a mortality rate of 50 - 60 percent.
For any songbird, the first year of survival is the most difficult. If a dove survives their first year, it can live on average 4 - 5 years in the wild.
Read: We Rescued a Baby Dove
Birds that will prey on adult Mourning Doves include Hawks and Falcons. On the ground and in the nest: cats, raccoons, opossums, Grackles, Crows, and snakes will eat on doves and their eggs.
Due to their ground-feeding behavior, they are often caught by predators.
I get many emails complaining that doves have nested too close to the door or where dogs are contained. They ask "can I move the dove's nest?"
I'm sorry to say that when a nest is moved, most times it is interpreted as a predator attack, which will cause the Doves to abandon the nest.
All I can suggest is to do your best. Use the door if you have to and keep dogs monitored at fledging times.
There are times the nest must be removed. This happens when nests are located on movable objects such as automobiles or tractors that have sat for a while.
It's then that I would recommend trying to move the nest but keeping it as close as possible to where the nest was found.
Don't walk the nest 20 feet away and place it in a tree. Use common sense. It may not work out, but you've done what you can.
I am aware of others who have had success. --- That's my 2 cents on this matter.
Please don't write and tell me about the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. I'm aware of what it says and am confident in its intent. Thank you.
Many of our visitors have shared some unusual nesting sites that doves have used and how they dealt with things.
Northern populations move south while those in the mid-range are partial migrants and Southern residents stay in their area.
In most areas of its range, you'll see doves during the winter months.
Birds Need Water in Winter - Learn More
Heated birdbaths can help in their winter survival.
This is up to you as many of our websites visitors have told us they were successful at watering their plants with dove nests in them.
First and foremost, don't get water anywhere near the eggs, nest, or squabs. Doves always cover these three things when it rains. The adult takes the brunt of the weather.
If possible, wait until the adult is off the nest. Then, water around the edges of the plant making sure none of the water runs toward the nest.
Got an interesting story and pictures about Doves in your backyard. Please Share it With Our Visitors. To share, start here: Share My Mourning Dove Story
Read What Others Have Shared.
If the adults are never off the nest, then I'll leave it up to you.
Some folks have been able to water successfully by gently approaching the nest and having the adult leave. Giving them time to water.
Be aware that this method might cause the adult to be gone for quite some time, waiting to see when it's safe to return.
There is always a chance they'll abandon the nest, but it's less likely if there are squabs in the nest.
If the plant is in a semi-shaded area, you can decide what you want most, the plant or the dove nest.
An idea for the future is to place a hanging basket just for the doves with plastic foliage lining the outside edge for cover.
Be sure to hang this planter in the same or close to where they previously nested.
Be sure to scroll down for all the stories our visitors have submitted about having Doves
Doves are special to people because of their meaning in life and what it means to people when they see a dove.
We opened a comment section for people to share the special things that doves mean to them. Feel free to read and share your comments here, Doves Mean New Life.
See also: Attracting Mourning Doves
![]() Heated Pedestal Baths |
![]() Heated Ground Bath |
![]() Heated Deck Mounted |
![]() Scallaped Deck Mounted |
More Topics:
Read Stories and See Pics About Baby Birds
Stories and Pics of Nesting in Unusual Places
Encourage Nesting - Get a Nesting Shelf
(Note: Got A Question - Use The Contact Form)
All Stories MUST Have Photo and Be 500 words or more To Be Published Online
Do you have a great story and photos about Mourning Doves nesting in your backyard?
Why Not Share it! Our Visitors will love reading your story and viewing your photos. It's Easy. Just fill in the blanks below and upload your photos.
Stories Only See Above for Questions
Ready - Let's Get Started!
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Mourning Doves and Fledgling on Deck Ledge
We camp up in Wisconsin where our travel trailer sits in a campground.
The kids and I went into town and came back to two doves on the deck ledge. …
Mourning Doves on our A.C
Hi
A pair of doves started bringing twigs on our Air Conditioner outside our bedroom window Second week of May.
Early morning there were tapping …
Pictures of Doves Nesting near Homes in Planters Hanging Baskets
Hello I've taken a photo too but the same bird has returned months on and has nested on my tv Ariel but I can see the egg is just balancing and is not …
Doves in a model ship
Doves Nesting in Strange Place a Model Ship
I looked out a window with view across our carport near our entrance. I saw a dove on the branch of an …
Doves on my Fire Escape for the 2nd Time!
Last year we returned from a summer trip (beginning of Sept 2020) and discovered doves and their squabs happily nesting on our fire escape where we live …
Mourning Dove Laying Egg With No Nest on Burglar Proof
Something strange happened. A mourning dove rested on the burglar proofing of my front door upstairs.
The door was open and the French patterned burglar …
Doves Nesting in my Flower Pot
While cleaning up my front yard after a storm, I noticed a dove nest in one of my flower pots. I was kind of dismayed as the flower pot contained aloe …
Doves on top of air conditioner
Hi, I'm in Ontario Canada, I have a window air conditioner that is actually through the wall and is tarped outside right now. I've lived here 12 years …
Doves survive hurricane Michael
Our home was at the center of hurricane Michael. We stayed at home and survived the category five storm.
We watched as the eye wall passed over our …
Mourning Doves - A Joy to Watch
At the end of May, we noticed a Mourning Dove bird sitting in a nest right out side of our garage in a vine.
The nest is hidden from the front, but …
Fledgling Dove
Every spring we have 2 mourning doves make a nest in our palm tree which is right next to our patio.
I enjoy watching dad build the nest. Then mom …
Albino Mourning Dove Has Moved In
I have been feeding and encouraging mourning doves into my yard for years! They are graceful and are lovely to watch.
Then last week a beautiful …
Mourning Doves Nesting in Fairyland
Doves Nesting on My Porch Shelf
I have a plant shelf unit on my back porch, in which I have placed my geode collection.
I'm an Earth Science teacher, …
What do Doves Mean for Your Life
Doves can offer Spiritual Reassurance
Three years ago a pair of morning doves built their nest in our back yard arbor which is less than 6 feet …
Baby Doves in Nest with Snow
Baby Doves Surviving in Snow in Nest
I live in Wyndmoor, PA in a 100 year old stone house. The stone seems to be very attractive to the particular …
Edwin and Myrtle
Two years ago a pair of doves made a nest in the hanging plant just outside my front door. They had two eggs, they were hatched, and flown the coop. …
The Mourning Dove’s Coo
The Mourning Dove has been our companion for quite some time now.
We have changed home thrice and somehow every home we lived in had a Mourning …
Doves in Pool Skimmer
Oops how did that skimmer get horizontal? It was finally time to clean the pool to ready it for the long hot Arizona summer.
Typically a chore my …
Extra Dove Fledgling in Nest After Storm
Around 7:30 a.m. today, while trying to wake up and get ready for work, I peeked gently through the blinds to check on the 2 fledgling Mourning Doves residing …
Rock-a-Bye Doves!
I first thought the sounds I was hearing had to be an Owl. It was moving- in- day.
Just kept hearing same sound. Finally, I was told by my boyfriend, …
Doves nesting on an Electric fan for Years.
I found this site trying to find some information about doves and learned so much about them here.
I didn't know they are called mourning doves …
Rescued Baby Dove
When I got home from work on my street (in the middle of it) was a baby bird.
I saw instantly it was a baby Mourning Dove.
The parents as far …
Mourning Doves Bless and Bring Me Joy My Story
Cleopatra & Ma Nattys Pyramid of Life & Love Our Doves
Natty, what I named my mourning dove, has blessed my life/soul so much, I am so grateful and …
Doves Nesting Over Jacuzzi!
We first noticed this mama M. Dove in a tree in our front yard last year.
The tree was diseased and needed to be cut down, we waited until she and …
No Cages for these Doves
Several weeks ago, I had occasion to visit a large home on several acres in one of the wealthiest northern California counties.
The family kept …
Dove Nest in Shoe Stand
I live in India (Surat city - Gujarat), I am a zoologist and I always go into the field for behavioral study of animals and birds.
Once I observed …
He Landed On My Head
I don't Know if you got my previous story about my new friend.
I was filling my feeders one day back in late August. There was a slight drizzle …
Doves Nesting on and In
This is the second time we have had a morning dove sitting to nest on the ground around our front porch.
It's been a few years in between, but I …
Hank the -Indoor/Outdoor Mourning Dove
We have acquired a mourning dove, and I must say, he is a breath of fresh air for us!
'Hank' was found outside back in August (2012) on the ground …
I have Doves in a hanging planter too!
I did have a Robin nesting there around late March or early April, but it flew away every time we opened the front door (the plant hanger is to the left …
Doves nesting on patio - Worried about Crows
A few years ago, we had a family of doves and had so much fun watching the progression from building the nest to weening the babies.
Our kids were …
Doves & Panasonic Air Conditioner
Mrs. Panasonic was the name we gave the mourning dove, for obvious reasons, that has been nesting above our air conditioner for the last four years. …
My doves in hanging fake plant!
I've have had doves living around the house for several years.
The first year she built a nest on top of a window air conditioner... a strange …
Doves Nest in Plant Container
We live in a fully attached brick house in the southern part of Brooklyn.
We are a block away from a salt creek and a few minutes from Jamaica …
My little Squirt the Dove
Isn't it funny how life goes, just when you think things in your life are just hum drum, and you take your life for granted.
And especially the …
It's Just A Rotten Egg!
Hatching a Mourning Dove Egg
On Wednesday, August 31, 2011, my granddaughter, Annastasia, found an egg in the grass in her neighborhood.
The …
Doves Nesting on Carport in Garages
A few months ago, I hired a local pest control company to screen in the corner eaves of my house because honestly, birds were becoming a nuisance. …
Ricardo the Wounded Dove
One morning I went out to refill my Goldfinch feeders.
I glanced down and realized that I almost stepped on a scrawny, tan bird.
I looked …
Doves Nesting in Hanging Gardening Containers and Planters
Doves in Our Hanging Plant
Last year during nesting season we noticed a pair of doves frequenting our front porch planter.
When they repeatedly …
Finding and Helping Mourning Doves
We moved a Dove Nest to New Location Successfully
We had a storm that took out many trees in town.
We were removing what was left of one of ours …
Baby Birds Born In Hanging Pot Plant
A few weeks ago while cleaning up my back patio and watering some plants, I came across a mourning dove's nest that had appeared inside one of my hanging …
Doves Nesting on House
Two weeks ago we opened our front door and a dove flew out of the flower pot that is on the rail of our front porch.
I quickly noticed that it had made …
Doves Nesting in Hanging Plants
We have had wonderful generations of a Dove family in this basket over and over again for the last three years.
Doves Nesting in our Hanging Planter …
Broken Nest Rebuilt
We recently found a mourning dove nest shattered on the ground inside our patio. It was obvious that the nest had fallen from a precarious position on …
Dove Nest on Patio
Our Patio Dove Nest
I recently have had the pleasure (and pain) of having a beautiful pair of mourning doves nesting on the roof overhang of my patio. …
Dove on Fire Escape
Doves Nesting on Fire Escape Several Floors Up
We are city dwellers. . . N.Y.C. that is. That means, we must go to the nearest park to find nature. …
Balcony Doves Nesting
Since Spring of 2007, I've had mourning doves nesting in a flower box hanging off my balcony. The first year I got some pretty good pictures. That was …
Getting Doves To Use Hanging Basket
This is the second installment on my Morning Doves along with a picture of the chicks.
Late this afternoon I was looking out of the window and …
Doves Nesting On Patios and Decks
Mourning Dove Nesting on Patio
I was wondering why this dove was standing on the edge of one of my clay pot on the top shelf of my wooden planting …
Doves Nesting in Tree
Doves at Front Door in Tree
I live in the 2nd story of an apartment complex with a few trees planted on the 1st floor in the inside area of the …
Wild Mourning Dove Turned Pet
Wild Mourning Dove Becomes Family Pet
In May of this year (2009), I was sitting in my garage with the door open, and in flew a Mourning Dove.
I …
At Home In the Pines
Doves Are Nesting in Our Pines
The giant pine trees in our front yard have been a haven for many of nature's creatures over the years, and August, …
Baby Mourning Dove
Baby Mourning Dove
I went for a walk and came across a baby Mourning Dove. He was too young to be out of the nest and had a cut on his/her (not …
Doves Abandoned Nest
Doves Abandon Nest
Well, my story begins in late May, or early June 2009… I was doing some gardening near my patio.
I decided to take a break …
Mourning Dove Nest Abandonment
We have a lovely mourning dove who has set up her home in our backyard.
She and her mate are beautiful creatures that seem curious about us, rather …
Doves on Garage Door Pictures
I have added a picture to go along with my previously posted story...
One day we were in our garage (California carport-door on one side/open …
Dove Nest In Joshua Tree
Last year around the last week of May, I noticed a dove nest on the beam of the new patio. I can see the Dove nesting from the kitchen window.
…
Doves in Hanging basket
A pair of mourning doves filled the hanging basket outside our kitchen window.
It was a delightful surprise to see them sitting there only a …
My First Mourning Dove Nest
I discovered my first Mourning Dove nest just yesterday.
I hung a new petunia and then had to go out of town for 2 days.
When I came back, …
Doves On My Deck - Again!
LAST YEAR!! While sipping my Sunday morning coffee, I turned to look out of the kitchen window to notice a Mourning Dove sitting in one of my flower …
Doves in Wreath on Front Door
Doves Make Nest in Wreath
When I first saw the morning doves building a nest in the wreath on my front door, I thought of pulling the twigs …
Doves Nesting On Moms Porch
Visiting my mother recently I saw a mourning dove nesting on top of a pillar under the porch roof.
Not unusual, though last year they selected …
Doves nesting in Patio Planter
Dove Nest in Patio Planter
One morning last week I was sitting out on my back patio enjoying the spring day when I noticed a dove 20 ft out …
Baby doves
Baby Doves
I first noticed the dove nesting in my hanging flower pot just outside the window in late February.
As much as I love sitting …
Young Squab Mourning Dove Stories
Hi again!
This is the 3rd round of baby doves to arrive since May.
The first time around we didn't see the parents switching places on the …
Doves Nesting in Strange Places Gutters, Patios on Chairs
A couple of months ago my husband and I were startled from a bird flying from our patio ceiling fan after we had turned on the light the fans came on and …
Penny and Benny Dove
I observed a pair of mourning doves hanging out on the fire escape across the way from my 6th-floor apartment in Greenwich Village.
The …
Mommas Babies
Momma Dove and Her Babies
I was watering my plants one evening and was startled by a big plump dove snugly tucked in my hanging flowerpot.
To an …
Places Doves Choose to Nest
Balcony Doves
I had just gotten home from house-sitting for a few days and noticed some stuff laying on my chairs on my balcony, I figured I would …
Watering Plants With Dove Nest Stories From New Birders
Question: Should I water the hanging plant?
Mourning Doves nested in a hanging plant that hangs a couple of feet from the window in our den. …
Mourning Doves On My Porch
Doves Nest in My Hanging Plant
For the last two years, my family and I have had a family of mourning doves nesting in a hanging plant on my front …
Doves In Patio Covering
Our Doves Nesting in Patio Covering
I love this site! Thank you. I am a huge bird-lover (cat and dog lover, too). Have 2 hummingbird hangers in our …
Doves Nesting In Unusual Locations
A little over a year ago we noticed a pair "checking out" a little nook in our patio, on top of a 4X6.
Soon they were busy building a nest. It seemed …
Doves in Hanging Plant
Yesterday, I noticed a dove nesting in my hanging plant, which hangs from the eave of my ramada, or outdoor patio.
Unfortunately, one of my cats noticed …
Morning Doves Nesting In My Hanging Plants.
Doves Nesting in Hanging Plant
I found doves nesting at my house.
I came across them when watering my hanging plants that hang well above …