Mourning doves are a common bird found throughout much of North America. They are known for their soft, mournful cooing calls. Mourning doves have pointed tails with white-tipped outer feathers that are particularly noticeable when they fly. This raises the question – can a mourning dove still fly if some or all of its tail feathers are missing?
Why do birds have tail feathers?
Tail feathers serve several important functions for birds:
- Steering and maneuvering – Tail feathers help birds steer and maneuver in flight by functioning like rudders to alter direction.
- Stability – The tail helps stabilize birds in flight and aids with takeoff and landing.
- Braking – Tail feathers create drag and allow birds to brake and slow down in flight.
- Display – In some species, the tail is used for display purposes in courtship rituals.
The tail acts as an aerodynamic control surface. Each tail feather can be independently controlled and spread to adjust the amount of drag and lift generated. The ability to finely control tail feathers is important for birds to maintain control and perform aerial acrobatics.
Can mourning doves fly without tail feathers?
Yes, a mourning dove can still fly even without some or all of its tail feathers. However, the loss of tail feathers does impair a mourning dove’s flying ability to some degree.
Mourning doves regularly lose and replace their tail feathers. They will typically drop two tail feathers approximately every six weeks as part of their molting cycle. It is not unusual to see a mourning dove missing several tail feathers that are still growing in.
Without tail feathers, mourning doves have reduced steering control and stability. This makes it harder for them to take off rapidly, fly quickly, make sharp turns, and land gracefully. However, they are still able to sustain flight. Their wings provide the main forward thrust and lift needed to stay airborne.
Effects of missing tail feathers
The effects of missing tail feathers include:
- Reduced speed and agility in flight
- Difficulty taking off quickly from a standstill
- Trouble making sharp turns or maneuvering
- Decreased stability and control in flight
- Awkward, unsteady, or heavy landings
Without its main rudder, a mourning dove cannot fly with its normal grace and agility. However, it can still fly moderately well and get where it needs to go. The tail is not absolutely required for powered flight as long as the wings remain intact.
How long until tail feathers grow back?
Tail feathers take some time to regrow after they have been dropped or pulled out. For mourning doves, it typically takes:
- 4-6 weeks to fully regrow one tail feather
- 8-12 weeks to fully regrow all 12 tail feathers
The regrowth rate depends on the mourning dove’s health, diet, and age. Younger birds regrow feathers more quickly. Poor nutrition or illness can delay feather regrowth.
New tail feathers initially grow in as pins or spikes. It takes time for them to reach full length and fill out with barbs and barbules. Mourning doves fly during this period of regrowth despite having short, incomplete tail feathers.
Can mourning doves survive without tail feathers?
Yes, mourning doves can survive the loss of tail feathers. While their flying ability is impaired, they can still flap their wings to fly moderately well without a tail.
Mourning doves rely on their camouflage plumage and hiding abilities to avoid predators. As long as they can still fly to some degree, get food, and escape threats, mourning doves can survive without tail feathers until the feathers regrow.
However, survival may be more difficult during molting season when doves are missing multiple tail feathers. They are vulnerable to predators and may have trouble foraging efficiently. But mourning doves are resilient birds that are well adapted to losing their tail feathers periodically.
Do tail feathers affect other behaviors?
In addition to reducing flight capabilities, missing tail feathers can affect other mourning dove behaviors:
- Perching – The tail helps provide stability and balance on perches. Missing tail feathers may make mourning doves wobble or have difficulty balancing.
- Walking – Without tail feathers for balance, mourning doves can look awkward and unsteady walking on the ground.
- Landing and taking off – These maneuvers require greater effort and look less graceful without tail feathers.
- Steering – Mourning doves use their tail to finely steer and change direction. Missing tail feathers reduces their agility and control.
- Display – Male mourning doves show off their tail feathers during courtship. Missing feathers could impact mating success.
However, mourning doves are adaptable and can cope surprisingly well without tail feathers in all types of situations.
Do the tails feathers grow back uniformly?
When mourning doves regrow their tail feathers, the feathers tend to grow back simultaneously. The feathers molt and regenerate roughly uniformly across the tail.
However, factors like hormones, growth rates, molting sequence, and uneven wear and breakage can cause asymmetry in tail feather regrowth:
- Feathers may grow back faster or slower on one side.
- One feather may be longer or shorter than others.
- Feathers may differ in color or quality.
Uneven growth can temporarily create an asymmetrical tail until the feathers even out. But for the most part, mourning doves grow back a balanced, proportional tail over a period of 2-3 months.
Do the new feathers look different?
Newly regrown tail feathers will look nearly identical to the original feathers. Mourning doves molt all their feathers periodically over the course of their lives. The replacement feathers are fresh copies of the originals.
Sometimes, the new tail feathers can show slight variations in:
- Length – Slightly shorter or longer
- Shape – Subtle differences in curvature or width
- Markings – Variations in color pattern or spotting
- Quality – Less vibrant color or damaged tips
However, for the most part, the new tail feathers will appear almost the same as before molting. The dove’s distinctive tail pattern regenerates consistently.
Do short tail feathers impact mating?
Male mourning doves use their tail feathers during mating displays and courtship. The tail is fanned out, spread, and waved to attract females.
Missing or short tail feathers could potentially impact a male dove’s mating success. Displaying damaged or incomplete tail feathers could make them less attractive to females.
However, mourning doves mate for life, so established pairs will remain bonded. Also, healthy doves regrow feathers quickly, minimizing any reproductive impact. Some reduction in seasonal mating success could occur until the tail fully regrows.
Are symmetrical tails preferred for mating?
Research suggests that female mourning doves show a preference for males with symmetrical, undamaged tail feathers when selecting a mate. Tail symmetry is an indicator of health and good genes.
In one study, female mourning doves were presented with males with experimentally shortened tail feathers. Females strongly avoided males with asymmetric tail feathers and showed a preference for males with symmetrically shortened tails.
This indicates that tail symmetry itself is more important than length when it comes to attractiveness. Mourning doves with evenly regrown but short tail feathers may have an advantage over irregular tails.
Conclusion
In summary, mourning doves can fly moderately well without tail feathers, although their aerial abilities are impaired until the feathers regrow. While missing tail feathers reduces their agility, grace, and control in flight, mourning doves can still flap their wings to fly and survive without a fully intact tail. Their tail feathers will regenerate within a couple months, eventually restoring normal flight performance, display behaviors, and mating success.