Species BirdsMourning Dove

Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

CommonBird
Illustration of Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

The Mourning Dove is a slender, soft-cooed pigeon common across North America. Named for its mournful cooing call. One of the most abundant land birds on the continent, a favorite of hunters and birdwatchers alike.

Habitat
Open country, farms, roadsides, and suburban yards
Diet
Seeds, almost exclusively
How common
Common

Best time to see a Mourning Dove

The best time to see a Mourning Dove is January–June, when about 65% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 237,895 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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Recent Mourning Dove sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

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