# Mourning Dove

*Zenaida macroura*

The whistling sound heard during takeoff isn't vocal; it is produced by specialized feathers that vibrate to alert the flock of potential danger.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Columbiformes › Columbidae › Zenaida
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Open country, farm fields, grasslands, and suburban areas with scattered trees.
- **Diet:** Primarily granivorous; consumes seeds of grasses, grains, and weeds.
- **Range:** North America, Central America, Caribbean
- **Size:** 23-34 cm in length with a 37-45 cm wingspan.
- **Lifespan:** 1.5 years average in the wild, though individuals can live up to 19 years.
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Lead poisoning from ingesting spent shot, predation by outdoor cats and raptors, and habitat loss.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and skittish. Observe from a distance of at least 10 feet to avoid flushing them into flight. If an injured bird is found, use a towel to gently place it in a ventilated box and contact a local wildlife rehabilitator; they do not bite or scratch effectively.

## About

The mourning dove ( Zenaida macroura ) is a member of the dove family, Columbidae. The bird is also known as the American mourning dove or the rain dove , and erroneously as the turtle dove , and was once known as the Carolina pigeon or Carolina turtledove . It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds. It is also a leading gamebird, with more than 20 million birds (up to 70 million in some years)...

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/c326d4ed-667c-4a70-b278-8c605bf433a4
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/3454
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenaida macroura
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/488854845/medium.jpg (Timothy Lindsey, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.