As the earth defrosts from winter's chill, the sound of the mourning dove's coo heralds the coming of spring and the promise of warmer days. Their call is sometimes mistaken for an owl's hooting, due to its hollow-like resonance. They are easy to find and observe, as they tend to hang out in the same habitats as humans.

They are often the entry point into the world of bird watching, as all one has to do is look to their backyard feeder where doves abound.

A small head, thin beak and round body mark the signature shape of doves. The mourning dove wears brown feathers with black spots on the wings, and has a long, tapered tail. They have a light turquoise eye ring, black markings on the cheek and iridescent feathers on the sides of the neck.

Chapters:
Cooing 00:00
Introduction 00:23
How to tell if male or female 01:15
Similar species and range 01:38
Taxonomy 02:25
Anatomy of cooing! 03:04
Advertising coo 04:28
Nest coo 04:58
Wing whistle 05:22
Powder down feathers 06:16
It's all about seeds 06:33
Their beaks are built-in straws 07:22
They're fast 07:43
Threats to mourning doves 08:03
Excellent parents 08:41
Crop milk 09:27
Conclusion 09:55

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Thumbnail photo credit: BirdImages from Canva.com

Credits not given in video:
-Maps from Wikipedia
-On mourning dove range map, mourning dove image by BirdImages, background removed. Canva.com.
-On eurasian collared dove map, eurasian collared image dove by Iruka, background removed. Wikipedia.com.
-On eurasian collared dove map, mourning dove image by Mary Herron, background removed. Canva.com.

Audio Credits:
Advertising coo: Christopher McPherson, www.xeno-canto.org/691623
Nest coo: Fauxpress, Pixabay.com
Wing whistle: David Darrell-Lambert, www.xeno-canto.org/476933

Favorite meal 6-up, all from Canva.com:
Cooper's hawk - BirdImages
Peregrine falcon - arinahabich
Crow - Pascale Gueret
Raccoon - rabbit75_ist
Cat - Inge Wallumrød
Dog - Pezibear


Have you found an injured or orphaned bird or wildlife?
Do a quick online search for a wildlife rehabilitation clinic in your area. They will tell you what to do. If you can't find one, contact a local veterinarian and see if they know who to contact. Do not attempt to rehabilitate a bird or animal on your own.