To attract Mourning Doves, offer a variety of seeds, such as sunflower hearts, millet and cracked corn, on a platform feeder or scattered on the ground, since doves prefer ground feeders and need an open space to land. They’re also drawn to birdbaths and water, and a quiet, sheltered nesting platform can encourage them to raise young in your yard.
How to recognize a mourning dove
Mourning Doves are graceful, slender birds with soft gray-brown plumage, black spots on the wings, and a long, pointed tail bordered with white. Their large, dark eyes and gentle demeanour make them a beloved backyard sight, often seen perched on telephone wires, foraging on the ground, or sunning themselves on tree branches.
Their distinctive call
The Mourning Dove’s call is a soft, mournful cooing that sounds like “coo-OOO-oo-oo” (the sound that gives the bird its name) and it’s most often heard early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Their wings also make a sharp whistling sound when they take flight.
What to feed mourning doves
Offer a variety of seeds. Explore the selection of our best selling sunflower hearts, millet, and cracked corn, which are their favourites. Because doves are ground feeders, a platform feeder or simply scattering seed on the ground works best; they don’t cling to tube feeders the way finches and chickadees do.
The best feeders, plus water
Open platform or ground/tray feeders give doves the room they need to land and feed comfortably. The Deck & Ground Tray Feeder and the Woodlink 3-in-1 Platform Feeder (which hangs, pole-mounts, or sits on the ground) both work well and drain after rain. Mourning Doves are also attracted to birdbaths and water sources.
Encourage them to nest
Mourning Doves don’t typically use birdhouses — they prefer to build their nests on flat surfaces like tree branches, window ledges, or even hanging planters. If you’d like to encourage them to nest in your yard, place a nesting platform in a quiet, sheltered area to give them a stable spot to raise their young.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do mourning doves eat at feeders?
A variety of seeds, such as no-waste and no-mess sunflower hearts, millet, and cracked corn, offered on a platform feeder or scattered on the ground.
What kind of feeder do mourning doves like?
Open platform or ground/tray feeders with room to land. As ground feeders, they don’t use tube feeders the way smaller songbirds do.
How do I get mourning doves to nest in my yard?
They nest on flat surfaces rather than in birdhouses, so set a nesting platform in a quiet, sheltered spot. A nearby birdbath helps too.
