Mourning doves are a common backyard bird found throughout much of North America. With their soft gray plumage and melancholy cooing calls, these petite doves are familiar visitors to many yards and gardens. As backyard birders seek to attract mourning doves and other feathered friends to their spaces, questions arise about what types of features and accessories mourning doves prefer. One such question is whether mourning doves like and will use bird baths.
What are mourning doves?
The mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) is a medium-sized dove that is a member of the Columbidae family along with pigeons, doves, and extinct dodo birds. Mourning doves are slender birds with a long tapered tail, short legs, a small head, and a straight slender bill. Their plumage is predominantly soft gray-brown in color with black spots on the wings. The underbelly and undertail coverts are a light grayish-tan. The eyes are dark with light blue rings.
Mourning doves measure 9-13 inches in length with a wingspan of 17-19 inches. They weigh approximately 4-6 ounces. Males and females have similar plumage though males are often slightly larger. Juvenile birds resemble adults but have darker plumage with more black speckling.
Some key facts about mourning doves:
– Habitat: Open and edge habitats including woodlands, suburban areas, farms, grasslands.
– Range: Nearly all of the lower 48 United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean. Introduced to Hawaii.
– Migration: Populations in northern parts of the range migrate south for the winter. Many southern populations are year-round residents.
– Nesting: Nests are flimsy platforms of twigs, grasses, and stems placed in trees or shrubs. Lays 2 white eggs. Multiple broods per season.
– Diet: Seeds of grasses, grains, weeds. Will also eat berries. Forages on the ground.
– Behavior: Often gathers in small flocks. Makes a soft, mournful cooing. Male will attract female by flying steeply up and down with loud wing-clapping.
– Conservation status: Still common and widespread. Population declining but not at significant levels.
What are bird baths?
A bird bath is a manmade water feature intended to provide drinking and bathing water for wild birds. Bird baths are typically shallow, open containers made of materials like ceramic, concrete, metal, or plastic. The basins are placed on pedestals above ground and filled with fresh water for birds to access. Some key facts about bird baths:
– Placement – Best sited in open areas 3-10 feet from cover. Elevated above ground to deter cats.
– Depth – Shallow, with various depths from 1⁄2 inch to 2 inches. This allows both large and small birds to access.
– Size – Larger is better, but can range from a small dish to 3 feet across. Large surface area gives more birds space.
– Water – Needs regular filling with clean fresh water, free of muck and debris. Water should be 1-2 inches deep.
– Maintenance – Water should be changed 1-3 times per week or more often in hot weather. Scrub regularly to prevent algae or mold.
– Designs – Can include gentle slopes, integrated perches, fountains or misters, heaters to prevent freezing in winter.
– Materials – Durable materials that won’t leak or deteriorate. Plastic, glazed ceramic, concrete, metals.
Bird baths provide wild birds with a vital source of water for drinking and bathing. They are popular backyard bird feeding accessories.
Do mourning doves use bird baths?
Yes, mourning doves will readily use bird baths if they are made available. Providing a clean, open bird bath can be a simple way to attract mourning doves to visit a yard or garden.
There are several reasons why mourning doves appreciate and use bird baths:
– They need to drink frequently, so the bath provides a consistent water source.
– Doves bathe regularly by perching on the edge and scooping up splashes of water with their beak and head.
– Open shallow baths suit their style of bathing and allow easy access.
– Since they eat dry seeds, baths provide moisture for hydration.
– Baths offer reprieve from heat on hot days.
– Doves drink by suctioning water straight into the beak, which shallow baths allow.
– The gray plumage shows every speck of dust, so baths keep feathers clean.
– Baths provide minerals that are beneficial to feather health.
Mourning doves will visit baths positioned in open spaces several times a day to drink and bathe. They prefer wide-rimmed shallow baths and will perch on the edges. Ground baths are more accessible than elevated baths.
Best practices for dove bird baths
Here are some tips for setting up and maintaining a bird bath that will attract mourning doves:
– Place the bath in an open area about 5-10 feet from trees, fences, or shrubs to provide open visibility while giving the doves shelter nearby.
– Choose a wide, shallow style of bath with varying depths from 1⁄2 inch to 2 inches.
– Opt for larger sizes, at minimum 2 feet across. This will allow multiple birds to use at once.
– Position at ground-level. Elevated baths are harder for doves to access.
– Add a few large rocks or bricks in the center for perching.
– Refresh the clean water daily or every other day to keep it appealing.
– Drain, scrub, and refill with fresh water if the bath gets dirty or mucky.
– Consider a small recirculating fountain or mister to provide dripping water.
– Use a bath de-icer in winter so the bath remains thawed.
– Avoid deep or steep-sided birdbath styles that doves can’t easily use.
With the proper placement, size, and maintenance, a ground-level birdbath with shallow, gradually sloping depths can become a dove magnet.
What to put in the water?
The most important thing is to keep the birdbath filled with clean fresh water. Do not add anything to the bath water like salts, sugars, or chemicals which can be harmful to birds. However, a few natural additions can help keep the water clean and appealing:
– Apple cider vinegar – Add a tablespoon or two per gallon as needed to control algae growth and inhibit bacteria. The mild acidity is safe for birds.
– Rock salt – A piece of salt in the bath can provide electrolytes and minerals. Use a natural rock salt rather than table salt.
– Essential oils – Just a drop or two of antimicrobial oils like tea tree, lavender, or peppermint oil can deter insects and kill germs. Avoid strong scents.
– Natural bath salts – A small amount (1-2 teaspoons per gallon) of cheap Epsom bath salts, sea salt, or pickling salt can add beneficial minerals.
The most crucial point is to frequently empty, scrub, and refresh bird baths with plain clean water to prevent unhealthy buildup of algae, debris, or contamination. This encourages birds to keep returning to use the bath.
Do mourning doves bathe in other water features?
In addition to bird baths, mourning doves will bathe in other natural and manmade water sources they encounter:
– Rain puddles – Doves readily splash in and drink from rain puddles, wet soil, and pockets of rainwater.
– Garden ponds – If shallow areas are available, doves will perch on edges and drink from garden and backyard ponds.
– Water drips – They are drawn to dripping taps, garden hoses, or rain drain spouts to drink and bathe beneath.
– Fountains – The sound of moving water and splashing attracts doves to drink and glean a quick bath.
– Irrigation sprinklers – Doves gather where lawn or garden sprinklers wet the ground to drink droplets and bathe wings.
– Creeks and rivers – Wild doves visit shallow stream edges and sandbars to find bathing and drinking spots.
– Pools – If accessible, doves may cautiously perch on pool edges to sip small drinks, though pools are risky for wild birds.
Any fresh clean water source in the environment can attract thirsty and dusty doves looking to rehydrate and freshen up their feathers. They are opportunistic in making use of whatever water they can find.
Unique bathing behaviors
Mourning doves exhibit some unique behaviors adapted for bathing efficiently:
– Perching on rims – Rather than standing in water, doves prefer to perch on edges and flutter their wings to splash water over their backs.
– Flutter-bathing – Holding wings away from body, mourning doves rapidly flutter their wings to spray water droplets through the feathers.
– Head dunking – Doves dip their heads and upper bodies into water then lift back up to preen and spread water over themselves.
– Body rolling – While perched after bathing, they lean and roll their body to expose all sides to dripping moisture.
– Wing sunning – After bathing, doves hold wings open and angled to the sun to dry and preen feathers.
– Dust bathing – Doves may follow a water bath by fluttering in dry dust or sand to clean feathers and distribute beneficial oils.
– Thirst quenching – In addition to bathing, doves eagerly drink by inserting their beaks into water and suctioning liquid straight into their throats.
– Repeat bathing – Individuals may visit water sources and repeat the bathing process multiple times throughout the day.
The mourning dove’s small body size and delicate feathers require frequent, thorough bathing maintenance using various specialized motions and behaviors. Watching them flutter and preen offers a charming glimpse into their active daily routine.
Benefits mourning doves get from birdbaths
Bird baths provide a number of valuable benefits for visiting mourning doves:
– **Hydration** – The most vital benefit is hydration in hot weather and dry climates. Doves need to drink regularly.
– **Thermoregulation** – Bathing helps doves cool off on hot days and maintain feather oils that insulate in cold weather.
– **Feather maintenance** – The dust bathing and preening aided by baths keeps plumage healthy and aerodynamic for flight.
– **Parasite and skin care** – The washing helps control external feather mites and other irritating parasites.
– **Resting spot** – Open shallow baths allow a place for doves to stand, perch, and rest while drinking and cooling off.
– **Minerals** – The water can provide beneficial trace minerals and salts important to metabolism and feather growth.
– **Social opportunities** – Multiple doves can share the bathing space and bond as a flock.
– **Refuge from predators** – The water deters chasing cats and provides quick escape from ground predators.
By bathing in bird baths, mourning doves gain much more than just a chance to clean up. The baths support hydration, nutrition, health, and sociality – all important aspects of wild bird welfare and survival.
Conclusion
In conclusion, mourning doves frequently visit and use birdbaths to fulfill their daily drinking and bathing needs. Their soft plumage and ground-feeding lifestyle means they need to bathe often to stay clean and healthy. Birdbaths are an easy way to provide essential water resources for the doves visiting your yard while also enjoying watching their charming antics as they flutter and drink. To attract mourning doves, opt for a wide shallow bath placed at ground level filled with fresh clean water. Maintain the bath regularly to ensure it remains safe and appealing. With the right setup, mourning doves will become loyal visitors to make use of your backyard birdbath.
