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How to Attract Mourning Doves

Found in woodlands, meadows, and backyards throughout the United States and into southern Canada, the mourning dove is a frequent visitor to bird feeders, with a mournful cooing that can sometimes be mistaken for the call of an owl. It nests in trees or bushes 5 to 25 feet from the ground within a short distance of the feeder. Mourning doves often arrive at the feeder with their young in tow, feeding them seeds or grain until they are old enough to make it on their own.

Things You'll Need

Wood
Metal screen
Pole
Birdseed (cracked corn, millet, sunflower seeds)

Instructions

- 1
  Establish a location for bird feeding. Provide several bird feeders in a quiet area with trees or shrubs. These provide ideal shelter and allow birds to rest or quickly escape from predators. Avoid placing feeders in areas without cover for birds, as a hawk or other predator can easily swoop down and capture young birds when they are feeding in an open area.
- 2
  Construct a sturdy platform feeder to attract mourning doves. You don't need to buy a commercially made feeder. A platform feeder can easily be constructed from a wooden frame and a piece of metal screen for the floor. Mount the feeder on a pole or post 3 to 4 feet off the ground to prevent predators or pests from accessing the feeder from below.
- 3
  Scatter generous amounts of cracked corn, millet or sunflower seeds on and under the feeder, and in any area of your yard close to the shelter of small bushes and shrubs. (Mourning doves prefer to feed on the ground, but they will also eat from a platform feeder if there is ample room for them to rest. They may attempt to feed from hanging feeders, but their size is generally prohibitive to alighting on a small feeder.)
- 4
  Provide a steady supply of food, and mourning doves will remain at your feeder throughout the year, nesting and raising their young within easy access to their food supply. You may see them perching on telephone lines waiting for the feeder to be refilled or scratching around plants or gardens in search of seeds and insects.

Birding