Aerie Birds: Mourning Dove

Subtle shades of color mixed with stark black highlights, the Mourning Dove is a pretty bird, but, man, can they eat! They gobble down the seeds in quantity, stuffing their crop to a noticeable bulge then fly off to digest their meal. We get a flock of one or two dozen here every day. They line up on the electric wire, wobbling to and fro to maintain their balance, as they scope out the feeding area. Luckily for the smaller birds, they can only feed on the ground or the tray so the hanging and stick feeders are usually left alone.

They are one of the few birds that will stand up to the Blue Jays for a place on the tray.

When spring arrives the flock will break up into nesting pairs and the cooing of the wooing will commence! When a group gathers on the ground you'll see the males chasing the females about as she will give him the cold shoulder. (Or, maybe, she's just trying to play hard to get. Coy little devils!)

If you can tell male from female without the chasing around, you're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

Mourning Dove

Mourning Dove

Mourning Dove

Seeing all those bare feet on the snow makes me want to start knitting little Mourning Dove booties.