Mourning Dove Calls (3 sounds w/ AUDIO)

ByScott
2 Comments

Below, you are going to learn how to identify the CALLS, COOS, and WING WHISTLES of a Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura).

mourning dove calls, coos, sounds, wing whistles

Mourning Doves are widespread and found throughout most of North America! Look for them singing high up in trees, on your roof, or on a telephone wire near your home.

Mourning Dove Calls:

  • Make sure to press PLAY on the audio files below. 🙂

Sound #1: “coo-ah, coo-coo-coo”


The easiest Mourning Dove sound to identify is a song given by males trying to attract a mate. Listen for a low “coo-ah, coo-coo-coo.”

Many people describe this song as hauntful or sad. In fact, the Mourning Dove got its name because its call is so mournful.

It’s easy to confuse this sound with an owl’s hooting. I know I did at first!

Sound #2: “coo-OO-oo”


The second sound you will hear from a Mourning Dove is produced by males. It’s given while nest building or when trying to attract their female to the nest site. Listen for a three-part call that sounds like “coo-OO-oo,” with the middle note being the highest.

Sound #3: The wing whistle

When they take off or land, Mourning Doves make a loud whistling noise. Believe it or not, but the sound comes from their wings! It’s thought that these wing whistles help warn other doves to the presence of a predator.

Watch the short video below for more examples of calls and sounds from a Mourning Dove.

YouTube video

 

Have you heard the calls and sounds of a Mourning Dove before?

If so, please let us know below!

Scott is the creator of Bird Watching HQ. His goal is to inspire you to care more about the birds and wildlife in YOUR backyard. Over the past 5 years, he has been focused on improving the habitat in his own yard by doing things like adding native plants, not using pesticides, etc. He is happy to report that over 50 species of birds have now been seen on his 1.5-acre property (that's in a suburban neighborhood). Learn more about Scott on his About page. And make sure to check out his LIVE bird cameras.

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2 Comments

  1. I am so glad I found your dove calls recordings. Thank you!
    I have a question: Do fives nurture and care for handicapped offspring for years?
    We have had a mourning dove nest every year at our house. A couple of years ago we noticed that she had a large offspring who hadn’t “left home.” We weren’t sure it could fly or if it had some other developmental problem. One time I didn’t realize they were under our patio table. I accidentally moved toward the table and startled her and she flew up to a tree, but almost immediately came back to a chair and looked at me. I leaned down and saw Tiny Tim (as we call it) under the table across from me. Later that season my husband was on the side of the house and they were walking single file, Mom, as we call her, in front. My husband stayed quiet and got a photo as they both took off. He didn’t follow because he didn’t want to frighten them. The next year and this year they have both returned. She made a nest in the same place and I would see her fly up there repeatedly but I could also see that Tiny Tim was there. When she saw me looking I think she warned him because after that he would get into the corner so I could at most see his head. They left our house one day after I’d left out some slivered almonds and pumpkin seeds – perhaps because the food attracted other birds. I later notice nest material in the garden below their home. They have come back to the same location a few times since then and stay for several days at a time. I think I recognize her call but of course there are probably other doves in the area (suburbs, 1/8th acre lots). I haven’t seen Tiny Tim for a month or so but I believe he’s there because I see her repeatedly fly back and forth to the nest location. I assume she’s bringing him food. I haven’t seen any tiny chicks for two years although early this spring I did see a broken white egg shell in the garden below. Any thoughts about birds nurturing handicapped offspring for several years? Many thanks!

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  2. Hello Scott!

    We hear our mourning doves every day! We’ve lived here for 35 years and noticed them for about this long as well. . . They roost every evening in a holly tree. Yes, it’s a tree not a shrub. We don’t know much about birds but we have had them in our yard ever since we moved here! They have made the sounds that you have pointed out to us! I only thought that there were two but my husband counted 8 recently. They sing to us every day and they are beautiful! You asked your viewers to let you know. . .

    Also pretty much every fall I’ve noticed that a murder of crows hang out in the trees across the street from us. It happens only in the fall and right before the fall sun comes up. We do have crows year round but not in the hundreds (perhaps plus) like we see and hear every fall! It’s scary at first but after you adjust to how many of them there are and the noise, it’s quite interesting. Again, we do not know much about them either!

    We live in the northeast. . . Not sure if location has anything to do with any of this? But we do want to thank you for your website. . . It has helped us identify birds and which ones are making which sounds!

    Sheli

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