Species · GBIF taxon 2495347
Zenaida macroura
zenaida macrouraAlso known as American Mourning Dove, Rain Dove, Turtle Dove, Carolina Pigeon
Mourning doves are slender, medium-sized birds known for their gentle, mournful cooing and swift, direct flight. They are frequent visitors to backyard feeders, where they forage on the ground for seeds and grains. During takeoff, their wings produce a distinctive, high-pitched whistling sound that serves as an alarm signal to nearby flock members.
AbundantVocalGranivorous
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Grass Seeds
- Waste Grains
- Ragweed Seeds
Predators
- Domestic Cats
- Cooper's Hawks
- Raccoons
ThreatsHabitat loss, lead poisoning from ingesting spent shot, and outdoor cats
HabitatsOpen woodlands, agricultural fields, suburbs, and grasslands
Life span1 to 2 years on average in the wild, though some survive over a decade
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderColumbiformes
- FamilyColumbidae
- GenusZenaida
- Specieszenaida macroura
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Provide ground feeders: Scatter millet, cracked corn, or sunflower seeds directly on the ground.
- Listen for wing whistles: Pay attention to the sharp whistling sound made by their wings during takeoff.
- Keep cats indoors: Protect these ground-feeding birds from domestic predators by keeping pets inside.
Competitor stevem4560 / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
Predator "Cooper's Hawk - immature" by Kaaren Perry is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative (c) MarvalPhotography19, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by MarvalPhotography19 · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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Backyard Birds
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