Mourning Dove

(Zenaida macroura)

 

A Morning Dove at the Thompson Reach restoration site.

Will Elder, NPS

 

Natural History: The Mourning Dove eats seeds, grasses, and sometimes insects. It nests in trees where it breeds from January to September.

General Distribution: In the Presidio, this species can be found in annual grasslands, coastal scrub areas, all forest areas, on lawns, amongst ornamentals, and on roads. It breeds in the Presidio.

Frequency: This species is abundant all year.

Identifying Characteristics: The Mourning Dove is brown in color and is slimmer than the domestic pigeon (Rock Dove) with a pointed tail bordered with large spots. It tends to emit three, "cooo" sounds in a row.

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