Eunoia
UNLESS SOMEONE LIKE YOU CARES A WHOLE AWFUL LOT, NOTHING IS GOING TO GET BETTER IT'S NOT - Dr. Seuss
Dove: Mourning, Eurasian Collared
The Mourning Dove is a native migratory species in British Columbia, found primarily in southern BC, including the Okanagan, Lower Mainland, and Vancouver Island, especially in open fields, farmlands, and suburban areas. It is a regulated game bird, commonly hunted for sport during autumn and winter.
Yellow Listed
Human Health Hazard
Conservation Status
Syilx
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Description
Adults are slender, medium-sized doves, measuring 26–34 cm in length, with a wingspan of 45–55 cm, and weighing 110–170 g. Plumage is soft gray-brown with black spots on wings, a long pointed tail with white edges, and pale underparts. Males and females are similar in appearance, though males often have a slightly brighter hue.
Habitat
Mourning Doves inhabit open woodlands, grasslands, farmland, and urban/suburban areas. They nest on trees, shrubs, ledges, and sometimes human structures, preferring areas with open ground for foraging.
Food
They are granivorous, feeding primarily on seeds from grasses, grains, weeds, and cultivated crops. They forage on the ground and may visit bird feeders.
Social System, Activity & Movements
Mourning Doves are social outside the breeding season, often forming flocks ranging from small groups to hundreds of birds. During breeding, pairs are monogamous for the season, maintaining small territories around their nests.
Reproduction & Parental Care
Breeding occurs from spring through summer, with 2–6 broods per season. Females lay 2 eggs per clutch, incubated by both parents for 14–15 days. Chicks are altricial, hatching blind and featherless, and are fed “crop milk” by both parents until they fledge at 12–15 days.
Natural Mortality & Predators
Predators include raptors (hawks, falcons), raccoons, snakes, and domestic cats. Hunting and vehicle collisions also contribute to adult mortality. Despite predation, Mourning Doves maintain robust populations due to high reproductive rates.
Credit
ChatGPT