Mourning Doves are one of the few bird species that produce 'crop milk' — a regurgitated secretion both parents feed to their chicks.
Their mournful coo isn't a song of grief — it's actually a male's territorial call.
They prefer open platforms over enclosed houses — visibility lets them watch for predators while incubating.
Doves are ground-feeders and ground-nesters at heart. Spread seed, leave a quiet corner of the yard, and they'll show up — they're already in nearly every neighborhood.
Cracked corn, white millet, and black-oil sunflower seeds spread on the ground or in a wide tray feeder. They're heavy ground-feeders and won't fit on small perch feeders.
A shallow bird bath with sloping edges. Doves drink by suction (unusual among birds — most birds tilt their heads to swallow) so they need access at the surface.
Mount the open Platform shelf 8–12 ft up, sheltered under an eave, pergola, or large tree limb. Doves want a flat ledge with a clear approach, not an enclosed cavity.
Plant or preserve large evergreens — dense junipers, spruces, and cedars are favored roost spots and natural nest sites. They'll use both your platform and a hidden tree fork.
Cats are the #1 dove killer. Place feeders 15+ ft from any shrubs that could hide an ambush, or skip ground feeding if cats roam your area.
One of the most abundant and widespread birds in North America, found from southern Canada to Panama in nearly every habitat short of dense forest.
Year-round residents throughout the lower 48 states. Highest densities in the central and southern Great Plains, Texas, and California's Central Valley.
Breeding-only summer residents across southern BC, the Prairie provinces, southern Ontario, and the Maritimes. They retreat south by November.
Resident year-round throughout the country, especially abundant in the central plateau and in agricultural lowlands.
Resident populations through Belize, Guatemala, and into Honduras and Costa Rica.
Open and semi-open habitats: agricultural fields, suburban lawns, parks, roadsides, woodland edges. They feed on the ground and need exposed seed; they avoid deep forest.
No entrance hole, no front wall — just a sheltered ledge. Includes drainage and the integrated mounting tab.
See the full lineupOne of the most prolific nesters of any North American songbird. A single pair can fledge 4 successful broods in a season.