My friends Virginia and Larry of Ohio report they have a mourning dove pair raising a family in their porch hanging flowerpot. I’m excited for them!
Back in the 1980s, when I lived on Mississippi Avenue, we had a pair raise three little families of two chicks over the course of summer. I hope my friends get at least that many,, but, better yet, more than the Thomases got! It is fascinating watching them raise their little families.
They lay two eggs and go from there. At this point (front bird), only one baby’s reported, though the second may well be coming or didn’t make it. The reality is of all birds hatched in a season, as few as 10% make it to be one year old.
Andy would have enjoyed our mourning doves on Mississippi because there was a framed window shelving in the kitchen where he could have watched the mourning doves till nap time, then, without moving, a place to take that important kitty nap!
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Mourning Dove Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
For those reading this outside the North American range of the mourning dove, please take a little time to read about and listen to the call and flight sound the mourning doves make. It is a familiar bird here, one that portents spring with its soft call, and I think it must be one just about all people here can identify correctly.
We have a lot of them at our feeders when we feed in the winter.
They hang around as long as the food and water are available, and are among the earliest nesters.
I’m in Ohio too but any mourning doves nesting around here are either soaked or blown away. Good for your friends !
I agree!
That is a beautiful photo of the doves nesting the the hanging flower pot! We have them here too, as well as collared doves. I love their calls. I bet Andy would have enjoyed that window at your Mississippi house where he could have watched the doves!
We have the collared doves here, too. They must have escaped from private bird holdings. They seem happy enough here and have nested for several years in my neighborhood.
Love the close-up view of the Mourning Dove family! (I almost said bird’s eye view, but stopped myself … )
Me, too! That’s the nice part of them nesting there.
This bird has such a nice call, they are attractive too. ❤️
The call is soothing.
For a second I thought that was a REALLY MASSIVE dove sitting in a REALLY MASSIVE pot perched on top of that car!
LOL!