Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
Also called dove, turtle dove.
The mournful cooing people mistake for an owl. The long pointed tail separates it from every other dove and pigeon at a glance, and the wings whistle on take-off.
- Size
- Robin to jay — 23–34 cm
- Bill
- Thin and pointed
- Where
- feeder, yard, open field, city
- Season
- year round
What it looks like
Slender, soft buff-brown, with a small head, black spots on the wing coverts and a long pointed tail edged in white. A pale blue eye-ring.
The checks that confirm it
- A long, pointed, white-edged tail — not the square tail of a rock pigeon.
- Scattered black spots on the folded wing.
- A small head on a plump body, giving a distinctly top-heavy look.
- Wings whistle sharply when it flushes.
Voice
A low mournful 'coo-OO-oo, oo, oo'. Very frequently reported as an owl.
Attracting it
Millet and cracked corn scattered on the ground or on a platform. They do not cling to tube feeders.
Confused with
Much bulkier, square-tipped tail, usually grey with iridescent neck, and a city bird by preference.
Larger, paler, square-tailed, with a black half-collar on the back of the neck.
Questions about this bird
How do you identify a mourning dove?
A long, pointed, white-edged tail — not the square tail of a rock pigeon. Scattered black spots on the folded wing.
What does a mourning dove sound like?
A low mournful 'coo-OO-oo, oo, oo'. Very frequently reported as an owl.
How do you attract a mourning dove?
Millet and cracked corn scattered on the ground or on a platform. They do not cling to tube feeders.