Mourning Dove

A medium-sized, slender bird with a long, pointed tail. Mourning Doves are soft brown to buffy-gray overall with black spots on the wings. In flight, the outer tail feathers (like this one) flash white edges against a dark center. They are known for their mournful 'coo-oo' call and whistling wings during takeoff.

Tri-colored pattern: a distinct white terminal band at the tip, a bold blackish-gray subterminal band in the middle, and a medium-gray (cool-toned) base. The ventral side is slightly paler.

Pennaceous and tightly interlocked throughout most of the vane; plumulaceous (downy) at the very base (calamus area). No specialized comb edges.

Smooth, soft, and slightly silky to the touch. Matte finish with no iridescence. Typical of Columbiformes which produce 'pigeon milk' and powder down residues.

Distinctive 'layered' color pattern: white tip, black middle band, and gray base. The rounded tip and soft texture are diagnostic for the genus Zenaida.

Open and semi-open habitats including agricultural fields, grasslands, open woodlands, and very common in suburban backyards and urban parks.

Found throughout North America, from southern Canada to central Mexico. Resident year-round in Oregon, including the High Desert/Bend region.

Primary seed eaters (granivores), playing a role in seed dispersal. They are a significant prey species for hawks, falcons, and owls.

White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) has a much larger, broader white patch; Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) has a different tail pattern with less distinct black subterminal banding.

Mourning Doves are incredibly prolific breeders, sometimes raising up to six broods in a single year. Their wings make a distinct high-pitched whistling sound when they take off, which may serve as an alarm signal to other doves.

Fair to Good. There is some separation (splitting) of the barbs on the left side of the vane (emargination area), likely due to natural wear or the impact of being dropped.

In backyard in Bend, Oregon