A Mourning Dove has become one of my regular visitors. This bird likes to show up in the late afternoon or early evening and sit regally on the backard fence amid all the finches, chickadees, and sparrows. Her soft grey color and delicate head and neck make her a real stand out.

"Peterson Field Guides Eastern Birds" by Roger Tory Peterson, describes Mourning Dove as follows:

Mourning Dove: Zenaida macroura 12" (30 cm) The common wild dove. Brown; smaller and slimmer than Rock Dove. Note the pointed tail with large white spots.

Voice: A hollow mournful coah, cooo, cooo, coo. At a distance only the 3 coo's are audible.

Range: Se. Alaska, s. Canada to Panama. Habitat: Farms, towns, open woods, scrub, roadsides, grassland.

Listen to the lonely call of the Mourning Dove. Hear the wild whistling sound of her wings. (Sounds courtesy of 'The Sonds of Nature' by Doug Von Gausig.)


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