Doves are a very important game bird species in Alabama. Hunters harvest almost 16 million doves in this place.
Some dove species stay in Alabama all year, but some doves migrate to this place in winter.
In Alabama, most of the dove species began their nesting in February. The nesting season in Alabama is from February to October.
In Alabama, Most of the dove species make their nest about 15 feet above the ground in trees.
What kind of dove is in Alabama?
There are several species of doves in Alabama, including the Mourning Dove, White-winged Dove, Common Ground-Dove, and Eurasian Collared-Dove.
- Mourning Dove
- White-winged Dove
- Common Ground-Dove
- Eurasian Collared-Dove
- Rock Pigeon
Let’s explore these dove species’ habitats, diets, and identification details together.
1. Mourning Dove
Mourning Doves are the most common doves in Hawaii, Florida, and Michigan as well as in other parts of America.
Mourning Dove is commonly seen in Alabama’s telephone wires and forage for seeds on the ground.
This dove has a slender tail, a small head, black eyes, and a black small beak.
Mourning Dove can grow up to 9-13 inches in length with a wingspan of 15-18 inches.
Mourning Doves eat corn, millet, buckwheat, Rye, pine nuts, foxtail, peanuts, canary grass, wheat, sunflower seeds, rapeseed, etc. In winter, they mostly eat foxtail millet and corn.
This dove has a long tail, short legs, overall greyish-brown colour body, with black spots on the wings.
Mourning Dove’s main habitats in Alabama include bare ground, telephone wires, and trees. They make nests on huge trees with small straws.
Mourning Doves feed busily on the ground, swallowing seeds. Once they finish their feeds, they can fly into a safe area and digest the meal.
How to Identify:
Mourning Doves are common dove species found in North America’s different states. You can easily identify these birds by their color, size, behavior, and call.
By Size and Shape: Mourning Doves are medium-sized birds. They can grow up to 9-13 inches in length with a wingspan of 17-19 inches. They have plump, small heads, rounded bodies, and long tails.
By Color: Mourning Doves have a light grey-brown body with a darker head and neck. They have a small black mark on their face below the eye. Their wings have black spots and a white edge.
By Behavior: You can find these birds in a small group or even alone, walking on the ground while foraging for food.
By Call: Mourning Doves have a distinctive cooing call that sounds like “coo-OO-oo-oo“.
2. Rock Pigeons
Rock Pigeons are highly common doves in Colorado as well as Alabama. This dove is large that’s why everyone called them a “Pigeon”.
They are gathering in huge flocks like a mourning dove. Rock Pigeons were introduced by European Settlers in the Early 17th Century.
You can find this bird anywhere in the world. This bird species is one of the most common dove species in the world.
The Rock Pigeons love to eat corn, seeds, wheat, and scraps of food that are discarded by humans. Rock Pigeons have a good relationship with humans.
You can easily attract these birds with offers of sunflower seeds, other seeds, and corn, and provide them with dense trees for nesting, they spend more time in your backyard.
How to Identify:
You can easily identify this dove by its size and shape, color, behaviour, and calls.
By Size and Shape: Rock Pigeons are medium-sized birds. This dove can grow up to 11-14 inches in length with a wingspan of 23-26 inches. They have plump, rounded bodies, short necks, and small heads.
By Color: Rock Pigeons have a grey-blue head, neck, and breast with feathers on their necks. Their wings are grey with two black bars, and they have a dark tail with a white band. Their feet are reddish-pink.
By Behavior: Rock Pigeons are usually found in large flocks, and they often perch on buildings, wires, and telephone poles. They are also commonly seen on the ground, walking and pecking for food.
By Call: Rock Pigeons have a distinctive cooing call that sounds like “coo-COO-coo.”
3. White-winged Dove
The White-winged Dove is a bird species that is found in the southern regions of North America, including Alabama. Here are some key facts about this bird:
Habitat: White-winged Doves are typically found in open woodlands, parks, gardens, and urban areas. They prefer areas with a mix of open spaces and trees.
Diet: White-winged Doves primarily feed on seeds, fruits, and insects. They are known to feed on crops such as corn and sunflowers.
Size: White-winged Doves are medium-sized birds, typically measuring around 11-12 inches (28-30 cm) in length and weighing around 5-6 ounces (140-170 grams).
Identification: The White-winged Dove can be identified by its large size, white wing patches, and reddish-brown coloration on its underparts. It has a distinctive cooing call that can also help with identification.
Where to see them: White-winged Doves are common in the southern regions of the United States, including Alabama.
They can be found in a variety of habitats, including parks, gardens, and urban areas. Look for them in areas with a mix of open spaces and trees, especially near sources of food such as fruit trees or bird feeders.
4. Common Ground-Dove
The Common Ground is a small bird that lives in the southern parts of North America, including Alabama. Here is what you need to know:
Habitat: Common Ground Doves like to live in open fields, grasslands, and agricultural areas with low vegetation, such as grasses and shrubs.
Diet: They eat seeds, grains, and small insects. They also visit backyard bird feeders.
Size: They are small birds, about 6-7 inches long and weighing about 1-2 ounces.
Identification: They have grey-brown feathers that look like scales on their wings and back. They make a distinctive cooing sound.
Where to see them: Common Ground Doves can be found in various habitats in Alabama, including open fields, grasslands, and agricultural areas. Keep an eye out for them on the ground, where they forage for food. They may also visit backyard bird feeders.
5. Eurasian Collared-Dove
Eurasian Collared-Doves were first introduced to North America in the 1980s and have since spread throughout the continent, including Alabama. They are now a common sight in many urban and suburban areas in the state.
- The Eurasian collared dove is a medium-sized bird that was introduced to North America, including Alabama.
- They can be found in a variety of habitats, including urban areas, parks, gardens, and agricultural areas.
- Eurasian Collared-Doves primarily eat seeds, grains, and small insects, and are known to feed on corn and sunflowers.
- They have distinctive black collars around their necks and make a soft cooing call.
- Eurasian Collared-Doves are often seen perched on power lines and rooftops in urban and suburban areas and can be identified by their black collar and cooing call.
People Also Ask:
In this section, I will cover the main topic that people also ask on Google for answers about “Doves in Alabama”.
What is the most common dove in Alabama?
Are white doves in Alabama?
What are the most common doves in Alabama?
What type of dove is rare in Alabama?
Conclusion:
Doves are a beautiful and common sight in Alabama. The state is home to many types of doves, including the small and delicate Common Ground-Dove and the adaptable Eurasian Collared-Dove. Doves can be seen in both rural and urban areas, bringing a sense of calm to those who observe them.
They play an important role in keeping Alabama’s ecosystem healthy by helping with pollination, seed dispersal, and pest control. Doves are a wonderful part of Alabama’s diverse bird population and add to the natural beauty of the state.
Source: ACES