12 inches long. The Mourning Dove is a medium-sized, slender dove with a thin neck. It is pale buff-brown on the head, neck, breast, and belly. The eyes are dark brown bordered by bluish skin. The wings and back are darker brown with large black spots on the wings. The dark brown tail is long and pointed with white tips on the outer tail feathers.
The Mourning Dove is a common year round breeding resident in the Omaha area, but it is somewhat uncommon in the Forest and can be absent in the winter.
The Mourning Dove is one of the most abundant birds in North America ranking 11th in abundance with a population estimated at 350 million. It prefers open habitats and generally shuns extensively forested areas and wetlands. It occurs widely, nests readily around yards and farmsteads, and is a frequent visitor to bird feeders. Most breeding populations in northerly latitudes are migratory, and individuals in southern latitudes are primarily resident. The mournful vocalization of this species is distinctively recognizable to people in spring and summer and has given rise to its common name. The Mourning Dove is a short-lived species, with an average adult life span of about one year. The voice is the recognizable mournful hoot “ooAAH, cooo, coo, coo”.
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