A Look at the Chasing Behavior of Mourning Doves
If you've ever noticed mourning doves zipping after one another across the lawn or sky, you might wonder what all the chasing is about.
Is it a fight? A flirtation? Just playful behavior?
These short bursts of flight might look simple, but they reveal a lot about how mourning doves survive and socialize.
Mourning doves chase each other mostly during courtship, with males pursuing females in short bursts of flight. They also chase to defend food sources and nesting territory.
Why Doves Chase Each Other
If you've ever watched mourning doves flitting after one another across the yard or sky, you might wonder what all the chasing is about.
While the behavior can look playful or even aggressive, it's actually tied to several important parts of dove life: courtship, territory, food, and family roles.
Mating Behavior Comes First
During spring and early summer, most dove chases involve males pursuing females. This is courtship in action.
A male will chase a female in short, fast bursts of flight, sometimes cooing loudly as he goes.
If she's receptive, she may eventually allow him to land nearby or follow her lead to a preferred nesting site.
In this context, the chase isn't aggression — it's attraction.
These courtship flights are often accompanied by soft calls and wing claps, part of the male's effort to show strength and vigor.
It's not unusual to see the same pair engaging in short chases for days before finally settling down to build a nest together.
Chasing Over Territory and Space
Mourning doves also chase other doves to defend their space. This is especially common during breeding season when males guard nesting areas or when food is scarce.
These chases can look more intense — darting at another bird to drive it off a perch or feeder.
But they rarely end in physical contact. Doves tend to settle disputes quickly with brief flights and posturing.
Even outside of mating season, territorial behavior can continue, particularly around reliable food sources like feeders or patches of seed-bearing plants.
Sometimes, It's About Social Rank
Doves may also chase each other in ways that aren't strictly about mating or territory.
In small groups, a dominant bird might chase a newcomer or a subordinate, reinforcing a loose social hierarchy.
This is especially common in winter flocks when birds feed together and compete for the best perches.
Parental Instincts May Play a Role
Mourning dove pairs are known for cooperative parenting, and in some cases, you might see a parent chasing another bird (or even its own mate) away from the nest area.
This is typically short-lived and aimed at keeping the nesting site undisturbed.
The Bottom Line
Chasing is a normal part of mourning dove behavior — it's how they mate, defend resources, and sort out social order.
Most of the time, it's not true aggression but a display of instinct and communication.
If you're seeing a lot of chasing in your yard, it may be a sign that spring is underway, nesting season has begun, or that your feeder has become the hotspot of the neighborhood.
Extra Tip for Birdwatchers: Look closely at who's doing the chasing. A lone male chasing a single dove in wide circles is likely courting.
Multiple doves taking turns darting in and out? That's probably a dispute over food or turf.
Fledging is happening Now! Keep cats indoors and stay with your dogs when outside.
Fledgling birds may be on the ground. The adults continue caring for their young for a week or two after they leave the nest.
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