5 Reasons Why I Love Mourning Doves...and You Should Too!

The mourning dove is a classic North American bird species, known for its presence around backyard bird feeders and nostalgic coo. While many people are fans of these pinkish gray birds, I was surprised to learn that there are people out there that actively dislike this species. I've personally always found mourning doves to actually be extremely likable birds, and here are the reasons why I like mourning doves, and you should too. They are very common. There's an expression that goes something like this, familiarity breeds contempt. In this case, familiarity breeds attachment. Mourning doves are certainly familiar to most people. They are year-round residents of most states in the U.S., a large part of Mexico, the Caribbean islands, and even some parts of southern Canada. They do migrate a little farther south in the winter, and a little farther north in the summer. Not only are these birds easily findable due to their vast range in the continental U.S., but also because of the places they choose to spend their time. Mourning doves tend to do very well in places inhabited by humans. In cities and towns, they can be seen perching on wires and trees, often in pairs or multiples. Of course, mourning doves are among the most well-known feeder birds in the country, taking advantage of seeds that have fallen to the ground, or feeding off of platforms big enough to hold them. I appreciate the fact that the familiar wild companion that is the mourning dove can often be found in backyards or feeding stations all across the country. They have a cool-looking appearance. Mourning doves sometimes get a bad rap for their appearance. They are medium-sized and generally puffy. When at a bird feeder, they are larger than many of the other common backyard birds, leading people to call them things like fat, lazy, and greedy. In reality, mourning doves are actually incredibly fast and streamlined flyers, resembling a falcon when in the air. When not in the air, they are actually probably underrated in terms of their beauty, as they are tan to gray in color with a pinkish hue. Their wings are slightly darker in color than their body, and they have some dark gray to black colored markings on the wings, as well as the neck right by the face. Males can show more pink coloration on their chest, as well as a bluish-gray top of their head depending on the time of year. Both males and females have a dark circular eye with light blue skin around it. Overall, mourning doves are actually quite nice-looking birds and appear incredibly cute when sitting there all fluffed up. They make some iconic noises. Certain bird species can evoke strong feelings related to childhood memories, or simply just a pleasant time in life. Out of all of the North American bird species, it's possible that the noises made by mourning doves are the most nostalgic. They make a classic dove cooing noise, which sounds a bit somber as it rises and falls. This is actually where these birds get their name from, due to the noise sounding a bit sad, as if the bird is in mourning. In addition to their actual vocals, mourning doves have another signature noise that they don't even make intentionally. When mourning doves take off or land, air is pushed through their wings, causing parts of the feathers to vibrate and making a loud whistling sound. This sound is appropriately referred to as wing whistles, and is thought to be a sort of natural alarm system, warning other doves that one of the birds has detected a threat and left the area. It is possible that the noise could startle potential predators as well, allowing the doves to escape before the predator even knows what happened. Both of these noises made by mourning doves can be heard around neighborhoods and backyards in many areas, meaning they provide a nice trip down memory lane when heard as an adult. They also provide a lovely ambiance when in the background of daily life. They're Generally Peaceful Doves are typically viewed as symbols of peace, but mourning doves are not always perfectly peaceful. Males will defend their favorite perches from other males, and they may get a bit snippy from time to time with other birds around the feeder. But most of the time, they coexist pretty well with each other and other species around the feeder. For this reason, they are a great species to have around the backyard bird ecosystem. Additionally, unlike some of the other more aggressive species such as house sparrows, mourning doves generally do not fight other species for nesting sites. This is in large part due to the fact that mourning doves are not cavity nesters, but rather nest builders. A quick side note on that, mourning doves are actually terrible at creating nests and do some of the most suspect work of any species I've ever seen, but I digress. In all, mourning doves are relatively peaceful, and in spite of some people criticizing them for being bullies around the feeder, or even worse, fact, they actually do get along with other birds for the most part. They are adaptable. One of the reasons mourning doves are known so well even by non-birders is because they have adapted to both human habitation, as well as other less hospitable natural environments. Of course, these birds have learned to take advantage of bird feeders, but they've also learned to take advantage of cultivated grain, meaning they can survive in even more areas than other species. In regards to some of the habitats they survive in, this common bird of urban places also survives in the deserts of the US, thanks in large part to their unique ability to drink somewhat salinated water. In fact, they have been known to drink water with a salinity nearly half that of seawater, a pretty crazy adaptation. This adaptability makes the mourning dove not only a likable and familiar companion, but also a hardy survivor. In all, even though some people overlook the mourning dove, they are a cool and entertaining species to have around. Their cuteness, their adaptability, and tendency to put us at ease with their nostalgic cooing, all makes them a bird that is totally worth appreciating from both birders and feeder watchers alike. What do you think about mourning doves? Let us know in the comments below. And if you like this video, take a look at one of these. And as always, thanks for watching. We'll see you next time on Badgerland Birding. Bye!