MOURNING DOVE: TWO IMAGES OF PRE-COPULATORY BEHAVIORS, AND THE COPULATORY ACT

MOURNING DOVE ARE PRESENT YEAR AROUND AT OUR FEEDERS. UP TO 5 WILL ROOST TOGETHER ON THE DECK OR IN NEARBY TREES. IT IS OUR ASSUMPTION THAT THESE 5 ARE AN INTACT “FAMILY” GROUP FROM THE PRIOR BREEDING SEASON–IF A 6TH BIRD APPEARS, IT IS DRIVEN AWAY. THESE DOVE ARE REMARKABLY PATIENT WHILE AWAITING TO FEED AT PERCHING NEARBY EITHER DOSING IN (APPARENT) OBLIVION OR SCANNING OTHER SPECIES MUCH MORE FRANTIC COMING AND GOINGS. WHEN IN THE TRAY FEEDER, THIS SPECIES IS DOMINANT NOT TOLERATING INTRA-SPECIFIC INTERLOPERS OF LESSER BULK. STELLER’S JAY MAY DISPLACE THESE DOVE, BUT NOT WITHOUT A TUSSLE AND CONSIDERABLE “BULKING-UP” BY THE DOVE. BREEDING BEGINS MARCH AND COPULATION IS RECORDED AS LATE AS 18 JULY.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology