August 2025

The next time you find yourself outside, listen carefully. You may hear a beautiful, haunting bird song. “Coo-ah! Coo, coo, coo…” Although often mistaken for an owl, this somber sound belongs to one of our favorite feeder birds, the Mourning Dove. 

The only commonly found dove native to Northwest Arkansas, the Mourning Dove, is often regarded as a symbol of peace, much like its European cousins. They are found almost everywhere, only avoiding deep and unbroken tracts of forest. A quick glance shows a stocky, round bird with a sharp-pointed tail and dainty, seed-eating beak. If you look closely, you may be able to distinguish the male from the female bird by looking for a blue-gray crown and pink tint to the chest. 

In nesting, the male dove suggests potential nesting locations, and the female selects her favorite one. They are known for being lazy nest-builders, often simply placing a couple of twigs on a flat surface and saying, “good enough”. They can have up to six clutches of eggs (more than any other native bird!), with each clutch having an average of two eggs. These eggs take about two weeks to hatch, and a further two weeks before the young leave the nest. 

Because a Mourning Dove’s diet is 99% seed-based, they rely on having a variety of native plants in the area, specifically species that produce seeds at different points in the year. They also love cultivated grains and can be seen in large numbers in agricultural fields. They are one of our few native birds that enjoy millet! Don’t forget to put their favorite foods in a feeder with a large perching space, such as a tray-style feeder, and keep it close to the ground to entice them. They also enjoy low-to-the-ground bird baths!

If you would like to see more Mourning Doves at the Botanical Garden’s bird-feeding station, make sure to donate to the “Feed a Bird” fund! To find out more about Mourning Doves and other birds, or to pick out your new favorite feeder, visit Wild Birds Unlimited at 745 E Joyce Blvd in Fayetteville or 2011 Promenade Blvd in Rogers! Enjoy the Birds!