dove

Mourning Dove

Have you ever been captivated by a bird’s low, sorrowful cry in the early morning? That’s the unique call of the Mourning Dove, a small, simple yet beautiful bird that’s a common sight in America, particularly in Florida. Known for its surprisingly gentle, lamenting coo and the whistling of its wings when startled, the Mourning Dove is a fascinating creature to discover.
The mourning dove’s plumage is a rusty grey with white undertones and black spots on its short wings and pointed tail. It has a small beak designed to collect seeds they can store in their specialized esophagus called the crop. In fact, the mourning dove has evolved to drink brackish water without the effects of dehydration, allowing the bird to live in deserts and ocean coasts alike.
Birdwatchers can attract the mourning dove by planting low shrubs to protect
them as they forage; however, they will usually only nest in the safety of tall trees. This dove species is also the most abundant game bird in North America, with hunters taking home roughly 20 million a year. Despite this, the mourning dove is a common and wonderful sight.
Photo Credit: Andy Waldo
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Common Ground Dove

The Common Ground Dove, Columbina passerina, is most commonly found foraging on the ground and often in small flocks or pairs. However, it is a small bird about the size of a sparrow with gray plumage that blends into the ground and often goes unnoticed. The Common Ground Dove is the smallest dove in the United States. and can be found in the southern US from Florida to California.
Common Ground Doves feed primarily on seeds but will eat snail shells, small berries, and small insects. They will visit bird feeders. Look for these tiny doves in residential areas as well as at forest edges, in pine woodlands, and coastal dunes.
The male pursues a female of his choice by following her and raising his wings to reveal his gorgeous chestnut plumage. He courts her by puffing up and making throaty calls. The female agrees to accept him as a partner when she eats the regurgitated food he offers her. Both the male and female construct simple nests on the ground or in shrubs, mangroves, or palm fronds. The female lays 1 -3 eggs and will produce 1 -4 broods each year. Incubation lasts for about two weeks. Both parents feed the chicks a secretion called crop milk until they are ready to leave the nest at about two weeks of age.
The population of Common Ground Doves is currently considered stable. However, they do face the threats of loss of habitat, predation of their exposed nests by wild animals such as bobcats, snakes, and crows, and human interferences including vehicle strikes, hunting., and outdoor cats.
When we learn to connect, respect, and coexist with our wildlife and within our shared spaces, we will ensure that the next generations will experience these fantastic little birds.
Photo credit: Dan Kon
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