Quick Answer
Yes, there are mourning doves in Texas. The mourning dove is a common and widespread bird species found across most of Texas.
Mourning Doves in Texas
The mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) is one of the most common and widespread bird species found in Texas. Here are some key facts about mourning doves in Texas:
- Mourning doves are year-round residents of Texas and can be found in all regions of the state.
- They are a medium-sized dove with a slender body and a long, pointed tail. Adults have light gray-brown bodies with black spots on the wings.
- Mourning doves are found in a variety of open and semi-open habitats in Texas, including grasslands, agricultural areas, suburban neighborhoods, and parks.
- They often perch on telephone wires and forage for seeds on the ground in open areas.
- Mourning doves breed in spring and summer in Texas. The male will perform a courting display by flying up and diving with loud wing-clapping.
- The female mourning dove builds a flimsy nest of twigs, grasses, and stems, often on a tree branch. She lays 1-2 white eggs.
- Both parents take turns incubating the eggs for about 2 weeks until hatching. The young fledge in another 2 weeks.
- Mourning doves are a popular game bird in Texas. There is an open hunting season for mourning doves in the fall and winter.
So in summary, the mourning dove is a common fixture of Texas habitats and can be found statewide year-round. Their soft cooing calls are a familiar sound of the Texas countryside.
Mourning Dove Population in Texas
Texas has a large and stable population of mourning doves. Here are some key estimates about the mourning dove numbers in Texas:
- Texas has an estimated mourning dove breeding population of about 25 million birds.
- This represents over 10% of the total mourning dove population in the United States, estimated at 230 million.
- Annual mourning dove production in Texas is estimated at about 37 million young per year.
- About 5-10% of young mourning doves survive to the next breeding season in Texas.
- The overall mourning dove population trend in Texas has been stable to slightly increasing in recent decades.
So Texas supports a large mourning dove population, providing abundant habitat and nesting sites for these common birds. The mourning dove continues to thrive across the diverse landscapes of Texas.
Mourning Dove Habitat in Texas
Mourning doves occupy a variety of habitats across the diverse ecosystems of Texas. Here are some of the main habitat types used by mourning doves in Texas:
- Grasslands – including prairies, plains, meadows, and agricultural fields. Mourning doves nest and forage in grasslands.
- Desert scrub – arid open areas of west Texas. Provides nesting sites and seeds/fruits.
- Riparian areas – rivers, streams, and wetlands. Important for drinking water and mineral sources.
- Parks and suburbs – nest in trees and forage on ground in open suburban areas.
- Breeding habitat – prefers open woodland, edges, hedgerows, trees in open country.
Mourning doves will occupy areas with a mix of nesting sites, open ground for foraging, and sources of grit and mineral resources. Their adaptable habitat needs allow them to thrive across Texas.
Range Map of the Mourning Dove in Texas
This range map shows the distribution of the mourning dove across the state of Texas. As illustrated in the map:
- Mourning doves occur statewide and are found in all regions and habitat types of Texas.
- They are most abundant in central, east, and south Texas where habitat is optimal.
- Higher densities occur in the Texas Hill Country, Edwards Plateau, and coastal plains which provide excellent mourning dove habitat.
- They are less common in western desert regions of the Trans-Pecos although still widely distributed.
- Mourning doves have expanded their range into the Texas Panhandle and South Texas in the 20th century.
Overall, the mourning dove has a nearly ubiquitous distribution across the diverse landscapes of Texas. The adaptable dove can thrive in most habitat types across the state.
Mourning Dove Hunting in Texas
The mourning dove is an important game bird pursued by hunters in Texas. Here are some key facts about mourning dove hunting in Texas:
- Texas has an annual mourning dove hunting season starting in early September and running through mid-January.
- Annual mourning dove harvest in Texas is estimated at 5-6 million birds.
- Popular hunting areas include agricultural fields, brush areas, and planted dove fields.
- Most mourning dove hunting involves using shotguns and sitting near fields and waterholes that attract doves.
- Hunting requires a Texas hunting license and HIP registration. Limits are set at 15 mourning doves per day.
- The annual harvest is carefully regulated and monitored and represents less than 15% of the fall population.
- Dove hunting provides recreational opportunities and an economic boost in Texas from hunting expenditures.
So mourning dove hunting remains a popular pastime and tradition each fall in Texas. Careful monitoring ensures hunting is sustainable.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the mourning dove is an abundant and common year-round resident across the diverse landscapes of Texas. The adaptable dove thrives in grasslands, scrublands, suburbs, and parks statewide. Texas has an estimated population of 25 million mourning doves, representing over 10% of the total US population. The mourning dove is an important game bird pursued by hunters during the annual hunting season in Texas. Careful monitoring and regulation ensures mourning dove populations remain strong and secure across the state into the future.
