Birds of Texas

Mourning Dove (Zenaidura macroura) 11-13"

(Click on picture to enlarge)

© 2006 - Walter Bauer, San Antonio, Texas

Field Marks: The most widespread wild dove in Texas. A brown dove, smaller and slimmer than a domestic pigeon, and with a pointed, not rounded, tail bordered with large white spots.
Voice: A hollow mournful ooah, cooo, cooo, coo. At a distance only the three coo's are audible.
Where found: Alaska, South Canada, throughout the United States, most of Mexico to Panama. Migratory in the North.
Texas: Resident throughout; withdraws somewhat from the Panhandle in the winter.

Habitat: Farmlands, ranches, towns, mesquite, woodlands, open country, desert.

Nest: A flimsy platform of twigs in a tree, shrub, cactus, or on the ground. Have seen them even make their nest in the gutter. They lay two eggs which are white. The eggs take 21 days to hatch.