The mourning dove is best known for producing a soft, mournful coo.
Its repeated cooing is one of the most recognizable bird sounds in North America. The sound is primarily associated with male courtship and territorial behavior, although mourning doves also use several other vocalizations, including calls connected with alarm, nest defense and the presence of young.
People sometimes mistake the mourning dove’s coo for an owl because both sounds are low and subdued. Unlike an owl’s hoot, however, the mourning dove’s call usually forms a gentle, rhythmic series that rises and falls in a familiar pattern. The species’ common name refers to the call’s plaintive quality.
Mourning doves are widespread in open habitats, suburbs and farmland. They build relatively simple nests, often on branches, ledges or other structures. Both parents produce a nutrient-rich secretion called crop milk to feed their young, an unusual adaptation among birds.