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Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

Bird · family Columbidae · order Columbiformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Mourning Dove
Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
50 states[3]
Oldest known wild bird
30 years[4]

The Mourning Dove is a bird in the pigeon and dove family, Columbidae[5]. NatureServe ranks it as Secure in the United States[6], and lists it as native in 50 US states and territories[3].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Mourning Dove a global rank of G5 and a US rank of N5, which both mean Secure[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. It is on the federal list of migratory birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8] Protected
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[9] >1,000,000 individuals

Where Mourning Dove lives

NatureServe lists the Mourning Dove as native in 50 US states and territories, from Alaska and Washington to Maine and Florida, plus the District of Columbia[3]. NatureServe also gives it a rank in each of these states, shown in the table on this page[10]. The states with the most GBIF observation records are California, New York, Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania, which reflects where people report birds rather than how many live there[11].

Alaska: native, state rank S3NAKMaine: native, state rank S5B,S5NMEWisconsin: native, state rank S5BWIVermont: native, state rank S4B,S5NVTNew Hampshire: native, state rank S5NHWashington: native, state rank S5B,S5NWAIdaho: native, state rank S5IDMontana: native, state rank S5BMTNorth Dakota: native, state rank SNRBNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRB,SNRNMNIllinois: native, state rank S5ILMichigan: native, state rank S5MINew York: native, state rank S5NYMassachusetts: native, state rank S5MAOregon: native, state rank S5ORNevada: native, state rank S5NVWyoming: native, state rank S5B,S5NWYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S5BSDIowa: native, state rank S5B,S5NIAIndiana: native, state rank S5INOhio: native, state rank S5OHPennsylvania: native, state rank S5BPANew Jersey: native, state rank S5B,S5NNJConnecticut: native, state rank S5CTRhode Island: native, state rank S5B,S5NRICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: native, state rank S5B,S3NUTColorado: native, state rank S5CONebraska: native, state rank S5NEMissouri: native, state rank SNRMOKentucky: native, state rank S5KYWest Virginia: native, state rank S5B,S5NWVVirginia: native, state rank S5VAMaryland: native, state rank S5MDDelaware: native, state rank S5DEArizona: native, state rank S5AZNew Mexico: native, state rank S5B,S5NNMKansas: native, state rank S5BKSArkansas: native, state rank S5ARTennessee: native, state rank S5TNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S5B,S5NNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S5SCDistrict of Columbia: native, state rank S4N,S5BDCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: native, state rank S5LAMississippi: native, state rank S5MSAlabama: native, state rank S5ALGeorgia: native, state rank S5GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S5BTXFlorida: native, state rank S4FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[10].
Show state ranks (50 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS5Secure
AlaskaS3NVulnerable (nonbreeding)
ArizonaS5Secure
ArkansasS5Secure
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
ColoradoS5Secure
ConnecticutS5Secure
DelawareS5Secure
District of ColumbiaS4N,S5BApparently Secure (nonbreeding), Secure (breeding)
FloridaS4Apparently Secure
GeorgiaS5Secure
IdahoS5Secure
IllinoisS5Secure
IndianaS5Secure
IowaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
KansasS5BSecure (breeding)
KentuckyS5Secure
LouisianaS5Secure
MaineS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
MarylandS5Secure
MassachusettsS5Secure
MichiganS5Secure
MinnesotaSNRB,SNRNNot Ranked (breeding), Not Ranked (nonbreeding)
MississippiS5Secure
MissouriSNRNot Ranked
MontanaS5BSecure (breeding)
NebraskaS5Secure
NevadaS5Secure
New HampshireS5Secure
New JerseyS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
New MexicoS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
New YorkS5Secure
North CarolinaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
North DakotaSNRBNot Ranked (breeding)
OhioS5Secure
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
OregonS5Secure
PennsylvaniaS5BSecure (breeding)
Rhode IslandS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
South CarolinaS5Secure
South DakotaS5BSecure (breeding)
TennesseeS5Secure
TexasS5BSecure (breeding)
UtahS5B,S3NSecure (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
VermontS4B,S5NApparently Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
VirginiaS5Secure
WashingtonS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
West VirginiaS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
WisconsinS5BSecure (breeding)
WyomingS5B,S5NSecure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)

Habitat

NatureServe records the Mourning Dove in many kinds of places, including forests, woodlands, shrubland, savanna, grassland, old fields, desert, cropland, suburbs and orchards, and land along streams[12]. It does well in open country with some trees or bushes, such as farm fields, forest edges, parks and towns[13]. In dry desert areas it usually stays within reach of water[13]. It builds a simple nest of twigs in a tree or shrub, and sometimes on a ledge, a rock or the ground[13].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[12]

Size, diet and lifespan

The Mourning Dove eats mainly seeds, and NatureServe calls it a granivore, meaning a seed eater[14]. NatureServe notes that about 98% of its diet is seeds, including wild seeds and leftover grain, plus a few insects, and it feeds mostly on the ground[15]. A typical adult is 31 cm (12 in) long[16], and a typical adult weight is 123 g[17]. A typical clutch size is 2[18], and incubation lasts about 14 days[19]. The oldest known wild Mourning Dove from banding records was at least 30 years 4 months old[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[16] 31 cm (12 in)
Typical adult weight[17] 123 g (4.3 oz)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[20] 31.3 years (wild)
Oldest known wild bird (banding)[4] 30 years 4 months
Litter or clutch size[18] 2
Gestation or incubation[19] 14 days
Female maturity[21] 90 days (about 0.2 years)
Food habits[14] Granivore
Migration[22] non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[23]

  • 90% seeds
  • 10% other plant material

When to look for it

The Mourning Dove is diurnal, which means it is active during the day[24]. Some populations stay put all year while others travel short or long distances[22]. In the north, birds reach their nesting areas in March or April and leave by around mid-September, and birds from the north join southern residents in winter[25]. On GBIF, most US records come in April, May and June, which shows when people report the bird[26].

January: 1,546,302 recordsJanFebruary: 2,013,974 recordsFebMarch: 2,125,609 recordsMarApril: 3,075,654 recordsAprMay: 3,646,943 recordsMayJune: 2,184,115 recordsJunJuly: 1,911,032 recordsJulAugust: 1,925,543 recordsAugSeptember: 1,777,108 recordsSepOctober: 1,375,902 recordsOctNovember: 1,120,261 recordsNovDecember: 1,283,168 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[26].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January1,546,302
February2,013,974
March2,125,609
April3,075,654
May3,646,943
June2,184,115
July1,911,032
August1,925,543
September1,777,108
October1,375,902
November1,120,261
December1,283,168

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Mourning Dove as present in 257 park units[27]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 233 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, New York, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania[11]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Mourning Dove endangered?
No. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act, and NatureServe ranks it as Secure worldwide and in the United States[1][2][6]. It is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8].
Where do Mourning Doves live?
NatureServe lists the Mourning Dove as native in 50 US states and territories[3]. It uses many habitats, from forests and grasslands to deserts, farms and suburbs[12].
What do Mourning Doves eat?
They eat mostly seeds, and NatureServe notes that about 98% of the diet is seeds[15]. They also take some waste grain and a few insects, mostly while feeding on the ground[15].
How big is a Mourning Dove?
A typical adult is 31 cm (12 in) long[16]. A typical adult weight is 123 g[17].
How long do Mourning Doves live?
The oldest known wild Mourning Dove from US and Canadian banding records was at least 30 years 4 months old[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan[20].

Facts and sources

  1. Mourning Dove is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Mourning Dove: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Mourning Dove as native in 50 US states and territories: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Oldest known wild Mourning Dove from US and Canadian bird banding records: at least 30 years 4 months old (USGS Bird Banding Laboratory). USGS Bird Banding Lab
  5. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is a bird in the family Columbidae, order Columbiformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. Mourning Dove is on the federal list of migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (50 CFR 10.13). eCFR, 50 CFR 10.13
  9. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe state ranks for Mourning Dove (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  11. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Mourning Dove: California, New York, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  12. Habitat types NatureServe records for Mourning Dove: Forest - hardwood, Forest - conifer, Forest - mixed, Woodland - hardwood, Woodland - conifer, Woodland - mixed, Shrubland/chaparral, Savanna, Grassland/herbaceous, Old field, Desert, Cropland/hedgerow,... NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on habitat for Mourning Dove. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Granivore. NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on food for Mourning Dove. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 31 cm (12 in). NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 123 g (4.3 oz). NatureServe Explorer
  18. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 2. AnAge
  19. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 14 days. AnAge
  20. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 31.3 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  21. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 90 days (about 0.2 years). AnAge
  22. NatureServe migration category for Mourning Dove: non-migrant, local migrant, long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  23. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 90% seeds, 10% other plant material. EltonTraits 1.0
  24. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  25. NatureServe notes on migration for Mourning Dove. NatureServe Explorer
  26. GBIF observation records of Mourning Dove in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  27. NPSpecies park lists recording Mourning Dove as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.