| Mourning Dove |
Dove - (South Zone) North of FM 1017:
September 21 - November 11
& December 26 - January 8.
Daily bag limit: 12 mourning, white-winged,
and white-tipped (white-fronted) doves in the
aggregate to include not more than two whitetips.
Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag limit.
September 21 - November 11
& December 26 - January 8.
Daily bag limit: 12 mourning, white-winged,
and white-tipped (white-fronted) doves in the
aggregate to include not more than two whitetips.
Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag limit.
Distribution
Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) are found in all counties of the Texas
Panhandle, in every month of the year, and are an important migratory upland
game bird. Resident populations occur year-round in our area. Cold fronts often
move doves from the central United States southward into the Texas
Panhandle and temporarily increase populations during late August,
September, and early October; however, periods of wet weather often force
doves southward out of the Texas Panhandle. A segment of the mourning dove
population migrates south during the winter into south Texas, Mexico, and
Central America.
Description
Mourning Doves are our most slender dove, with a long pointed tail, and fairly
narrow pointed wings held close while flapping; however, on takeoff they
produce a light airy whistling on takeoff. Song of a Mourning Dove is a
mournful hooting ooAAh cooo cooo coo, often mistake for an owl.
Identification tips are:
Length: 10.5 inches
Sexes similar
Medium-sized, somewhat slender dove with very thin neck
Black bill
Adult
Pale buff-brown head, neck, breast, and belly
Purple and green iridescence on neck
Small black mark on lower neck
Medium brown back and upperwings, with black spots on coverts
Long tail is pointed at tip
Dark brown tail with white tips to outer four tail feathers
Juvenile
Dark brown mottled head neck and breast
Scaly neck and upperwings with black spots on coverts and scapulars
Pale belly
Medium length tail is pointed at tip
Similar species
Long pointed tail is distinctive for adults
Black spotting on coverts and pale color distinguish it from White-winged and
White-tipped Doves
Juvenile easily confused with Common Ground-Dove and Inca Dove
but is longer necked shows a pointed tail with more white at edges
lacks cinnamon in primaries.
Habitat
Mourning Dove are highly mobile species. They are capable of moving
considerable distances to sources of free water. During late summer and early
fall, large concentrations of mourning doves may be attracted to agricultural
fields to feed on waste grain or patches of native annual sunflowers and other
forbs. Excessive and prolonged hunting may result in movements of local
populations of birds to other nearby fields. Cultivation of agricultural fields
during August in preparation for planting of fall cereal grains often reduces
food availability and increased movement of mourning doves to other areas.
Large scale clearing of trees and brush may also reduce nesting habitat for
resident mourning doves.
Population Trends
Annual mourning dove call surveys are conducted each May by Wildlife
Biologists in District II to determine long-term population trends.
Reproduction
Nesting begins in March and ends in September. Mourning Doves nest in in a
wide variety of trees and shrubs, or on the ground. Nests are constructed of
twigs placed on branches of a tree or shrub or tree, at the base of yuccas,
clumps of cactus, or directly on the ground. A nest once constructed is often
used repeatedly. Mourning Doves tend to construct loose and flimsy nests. High
winds and rainstorms often destroy many of them. To provide secure nesting
sites, wire cone nesting structures can be placed where tree limbs fork 6 to 15 ft
above the ground. This practice is most useful in regions were high winds and
large open areas are common. Two or more clutches of 2 eggs each are produced
annually. Length of Incubation ranges from 13 to 14 days, time to fledge
ranges from 12 to 14 days, and number of broods per year ranges from 2 to 3,
but occasionally from 3 to 6. Young are fed "pigeon milk" and later seeds.
Pigeon milk comes from fatty cells shed from the epithelial tissues in the
female's crop. Typical pigeon milk contains about 74% water, 12% protein,
10% fat, 2% other nitrogen compounds, 2% ash, and no carbohydrates.
Food
Mourning Doves feed almost exclusively on seeds from a wide variety of native
forbs and grasses. Annual sunflowers, croton, ragweed, annual grasses, and
waste grains such as wheat, milo, and oats are common food items.
Cover
Mourning Doves prefer tall shrubs and trees for nesting and loafing.
Water
Mourning Dove require water daily. Prefer shorelines and banks without
vegetation. Where water is limited or absent, development of water sources is
desirable, catchment ponds, guzzlers, windmills, spring developments.
Management Recommendations
Plant on field borders, along fence rows, or any other idle land area
Do not till in fall after harvest of small grain crops
Leave waste grains available
Leave some areas of small grains (wheat, millet, milo, oats) unharvested
Plant annual food plots in areas lacking grain
Brush chop, chain, or roller beat small areas (10-20 acres) in large expanses of
brush or woodland areas
Control burn small areas (10-20 acres) in large brush or woodland areas
*All Information Courtsey of Texas Parks & Wildlife
Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) are found in all counties of the Texas
Panhandle, in every month of the year, and are an important migratory upland
game bird. Resident populations occur year-round in our area. Cold fronts often
move doves from the central United States southward into the Texas
Panhandle and temporarily increase populations during late August,
September, and early October; however, periods of wet weather often force
doves southward out of the Texas Panhandle. A segment of the mourning dove
population migrates south during the winter into south Texas, Mexico, and
Central America.
Description
Mourning Doves are our most slender dove, with a long pointed tail, and fairly
narrow pointed wings held close while flapping; however, on takeoff they
produce a light airy whistling on takeoff. Song of a Mourning Dove is a
mournful hooting ooAAh cooo cooo coo, often mistake for an owl.
Identification tips are:
Length: 10.5 inches
Sexes similar
Medium-sized, somewhat slender dove with very thin neck
Black bill
Adult
Pale buff-brown head, neck, breast, and belly
Purple and green iridescence on neck
Small black mark on lower neck
Medium brown back and upperwings, with black spots on coverts
Long tail is pointed at tip
Dark brown tail with white tips to outer four tail feathers
Juvenile
Dark brown mottled head neck and breast
Scaly neck and upperwings with black spots on coverts and scapulars
Pale belly
Medium length tail is pointed at tip
Similar species
Long pointed tail is distinctive for adults
Black spotting on coverts and pale color distinguish it from White-winged and
White-tipped Doves
Juvenile easily confused with Common Ground-Dove and Inca Dove
but is longer necked shows a pointed tail with more white at edges
lacks cinnamon in primaries.
Habitat
Mourning Dove are highly mobile species. They are capable of moving
considerable distances to sources of free water. During late summer and early
fall, large concentrations of mourning doves may be attracted to agricultural
fields to feed on waste grain or patches of native annual sunflowers and other
forbs. Excessive and prolonged hunting may result in movements of local
populations of birds to other nearby fields. Cultivation of agricultural fields
during August in preparation for planting of fall cereal grains often reduces
food availability and increased movement of mourning doves to other areas.
Large scale clearing of trees and brush may also reduce nesting habitat for
resident mourning doves.
Population Trends
Annual mourning dove call surveys are conducted each May by Wildlife
Biologists in District II to determine long-term population trends.
Reproduction
Nesting begins in March and ends in September. Mourning Doves nest in in a
wide variety of trees and shrubs, or on the ground. Nests are constructed of
twigs placed on branches of a tree or shrub or tree, at the base of yuccas,
clumps of cactus, or directly on the ground. A nest once constructed is often
used repeatedly. Mourning Doves tend to construct loose and flimsy nests. High
winds and rainstorms often destroy many of them. To provide secure nesting
sites, wire cone nesting structures can be placed where tree limbs fork 6 to 15 ft
above the ground. This practice is most useful in regions were high winds and
large open areas are common. Two or more clutches of 2 eggs each are produced
annually. Length of Incubation ranges from 13 to 14 days, time to fledge
ranges from 12 to 14 days, and number of broods per year ranges from 2 to 3,
but occasionally from 3 to 6. Young are fed "pigeon milk" and later seeds.
Pigeon milk comes from fatty cells shed from the epithelial tissues in the
female's crop. Typical pigeon milk contains about 74% water, 12% protein,
10% fat, 2% other nitrogen compounds, 2% ash, and no carbohydrates.
Food
Mourning Doves feed almost exclusively on seeds from a wide variety of native
forbs and grasses. Annual sunflowers, croton, ragweed, annual grasses, and
waste grains such as wheat, milo, and oats are common food items.
Cover
Mourning Doves prefer tall shrubs and trees for nesting and loafing.
Water
Mourning Dove require water daily. Prefer shorelines and banks without
vegetation. Where water is limited or absent, development of water sources is
desirable, catchment ponds, guzzlers, windmills, spring developments.
Management Recommendations
Plant on field borders, along fence rows, or any other idle land area
Do not till in fall after harvest of small grain crops
Leave waste grains available
Leave some areas of small grains (wheat, millet, milo, oats) unharvested
Plant annual food plots in areas lacking grain
Brush chop, chain, or roller beat small areas (10-20 acres) in large expanses of
brush or woodland areas
Control burn small areas (10-20 acres) in large brush or woodland areas
*All Information Courtsey of Texas Parks & Wildlife
| Daily bag limit: 12 white-winged, mourning and white-tipped (white-fronted) doves in the aggregate, to include not more than 4 mourning doves and two whitetips. Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag limit. |
| Special South Texas Zone Sept. 1, 2, 8 & 9 |