Mourning dove

Mourning dove photographed in Manitoba

The mourning dove has a gentle look, a soft tan and grey with a long pointed tail and a small black spot below the eye. Its low, sorrowful cooing is one of the most familiar sounds of a summer morning, and the wings produce a whistling sound as the bird takes off.

Doves feed on seeds on the ground, often in pairs or small flocks, and they are common around farmyards, fields, and open woodland in southern Manitoba. The nest is a flimsy platform of twigs, and a pair can raise several broods a year. Both parents feed the chicks with crop milk, a rich substance produced in their throats. Most leave for the southern United States in the fall.

Curious about the mourning dove and its habitat? Learn more on its page at All About Birds.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Field notes in photographs

  • Mourning dove standing among dry grass and twigs
  • Mourning dove perched on a bare branch against bright blue sky, soft pink breast
  • Mourning dove perched on a thin branch against a blue background
  • Mourning dove perched in a willow

Mourning dove Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the mourning dove in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the mourning dove nests, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the mourning dove in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Plains and the Prairies (gold). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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