Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

County List:

Rule:

Mixed Forested/Nonforested or Nonforested Landscapes

Foraging and Nesting Habitat Requirements may be distributed over the COMPARTMENT

Foraging Habitat:
      (Jack Pine (Regen))
      or (Conifer Plantation (Regen))
      or (Mixed Pine (Regen))
      or Grass
      or Savanna
      or Any Cropland
      or Residential

Nesting Habitat 1st alternative:
      (Any Upland Conifer (Pole or Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Pine (Pole or Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))   
   adjacent to:
      Edge

Nesting Habitat 2nd alternative:
      Residential

Habitat List:

view size class definitions

Literature:

The Mourning Dove is most abundant to the south and is absent from extensive tracts of mature forest.

Habitat: Today the Mourning Dove is primarily a resident of yards, fencerows, and parks. Landscaped areas with ornamental trees and openings are prime habitat. Atlas Habitat Survey data show that about 58% of dove observations were in the residence-roadside-fencerow habitat type. This was true for all three geographical divisions. About 15% of the observations were in row crops.

Where present, spruces are frequently used as nest sites. Some doves nest in habitats with little current human influence, including old fields (where they may nest on the ground) and the edge of most types of forests.

Areas with concentrations of probable and confirmed blocks for the dove correlate best with those agricultural lands which are associated with industrial centers or adjacent oak woodlands. Other agricultural categories are but sparsely utilized. One important factor probably correlated with dove nesting is the extent of estate-type landscaping. Coniferous trees in a landscaped habitat are used by Mourning Doves for nesting and roosting. Nearby agricultural lands are important as feeding areas.

Habitat: Breeding: Open mixed woodlands and woodland edges, evergreen plantations, orchards and farmlands, suburbs, cities. Avoids dense forests and high elevations (mountains). Birds nest most frequently in agricultural and residential areas. Wintering: Similar to breeding habitat.

Special Habitat Requirements: Open land with bare ground that produces adequate food (seeds).

Habitat: Farms, towns, open woods, roadsides, grasslands. Found in almost any kind of open or semi-open habitat in temperate parts of North America, including forest clearings, farmland, suburbs, prairies, deserts. May be most common in edge habitats having both trees and open ground, but also found in some treeless areas. Avoids unbroken forest.

Diet: Seeds. Feeds almost entirely on seeds (99% of diet). Favors seeds of cultivated grains, also those of grasses, ragweeds, many other plants. Occasionally eats snails, and very rarely insects.

Nest: Male leads female to potential nest sites; female chooses one. Site is usually in tree or shrub, sometimes on ground, sometimes on building, ledge or other structure; usually platform of twigs; male brings material female builds.