Inca doves are small, delicate doves native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. With their sandy brown plumage and distinctive scalloped markings on their wings, Inca doves are a charming addition to any backyard. Attracting Inca doves to your yard takes some planning and strategic placement of food, water sources, shelters, and nesting spots. Read on to learn all about how to make your yard an enticing oasis for Inca doves.
What Are Inca Doves?
The Inca dove, also called the Mexican ground dove, is North America’s smallest dove species. These petite birds reach lengths of just 8-9.5 inches from beak to tail tip and weigh a mere 1.5-2.5 ounces.
Despite their tiny stature, Inca doves are hardy birds found across the arid Southwest, from California to Texas. They thrive in desert environments and urban areas alike. The Inca dove gets its name from the scaly markings on its wings and neck which resemble the decorative scales on Inca finery and armor.
Some key facts about Inca doves:
- Scientific name: Columbina inca
- Length: 8-9.5 inches
- Weight: 1.5-2.5 ounces
- Wingspan: 12.5-13.5 inches
- Color pattern: Sandy brown overall with a pale gray head, black spots on the wings, and dark scaling on the neck
- Lifespan: 1-5 years
- Diet: Seeds, grains, greens
- Notable features: Small size, scaly neck patches, long tapered tail
Inca doves are ground foragers and are often seen scavenging for food in yards, gardens, and along roadsides. Unlike other doves, they rarely perch on branches or power lines. Their stout bodies and legs are well-adapted for a terrestrial lifestyle.
Inca Dove Habits
Inca doves have several behavioral quirks that set them apart from other backyard birds:
- Dust bathing – Inca doves like to dust bathe frequently to clean their feathers. Provide bare ground or a dust bath box filled with sand.
- Ground nesting – This species nests right on the ground rather than in trees. They don’t build much of a nest, just a flimsy platform of twigs.
- Forms large flocks – Inca doves congregate in large flocks of 10 to several hundred birds.
- High cooing call – The male’s repetitive cooing sounds like “no hope.” Listen for it on warm afternoons.
- Scraping beak motions – They grind their beaks back and forth over grit to digest seed coats.
- Crepuscular habits – Most active at dawn and dusk but gathers at roosts midday.
Understanding these habits will help you make your yard as accommodating as possible for Inca doves. Focus on open space, grit, and plentiful food appropriate for ground feeding.
Inca Dove Diet
Inca doves are primarily seed and grain eaters. About 90% of their diet consists of seeds gathered from weedy plants, grasses, farmlands, and bird feeders. The other 10% is made up of greens, fruits, and insects.
Some favorite Inca dove foods include:
- Millet
- Sorghum
- Wheat
- Black oil sunflower seeds
- Cracked corn
- Berries
- Fruit like figs, dates, and raisins
- Leafy greens
- Grit like sand or crushed eggshells
- Insects like beetles, ants, and grasshoppers
Offering a mix of small seeds, grains, greens, and fruit will satisfy an Inca dove’s nutritional needs. Scatter the food widely on the ground or use low, shallow platform feeders. Adding grit helps them digest seeds.
Water for Inca Doves
Fresh, clean water is a must for attracting Inca doves. Provide a few small, shallow bird baths around your yard. Add a mister to keep water flowing and prevent mosquitoes. Since they drink by sucking and don’t immerse their beaks, the water should be 1-2 inches deep. Add rocks or stones so they can perch near the water’s edge.
Some good water sources include:
- Shallow bird baths
- Misters or drippers
- Fountains
- Water garden features
- Irrigation overflow
Place water sources near food supplies, dust baths, and cover for best results. Refill water daily and clean baths weekly. Having multiple small baths works better than one large one to accommodate many birds at once.
Shelter for Inca Doves
Inca doves appreciate brushed and cover as a refuge from predators and harsh weather. Good sheltering spots include:
- Thick hedges and shrubs
- Brush piles
- Evergreen trees
- Bushes
- Vegetable garden trellises
- Flower garden pergolas
When designing shelter, think tight spaces. Inca doves won’t use large birdhouses or platforms. They prefer to hunker down in protected nooks close to the ground. Aim for dense, thorny vegetation and small crevices in rock piles or wood piles. These tight hiding spots offer the cover they crave.
Nesting Sites for Inca Doves
Inca doves build flimsy nests directly on the ground. To encourage them to raise young on your property, create safe ground nest zones protected from dogs, cats, and foot traffic.
Some good nesting sites include:
- Under shrubs or vines
- Against structures or planters
- Under garden trellises
- Near ground cover plants like ivies
- Under wood piles or debris
The female lays just two tiny white eggs in a scrappy stick platform on the bare ground. Both parents incubate the eggs and care for the young. Fledglings leave the nest at 12-14 days old and are tended by the parents.
Having protected areas with loose twigs, sticks, leaves, and litter materials will help the doves construct their nests. Provide open dirt access but screen it from predators for success.
Landscaping Tips to Attract Inca Doves
Now that you understand Inca dove needs, you can start crafting a dove-friendly yard. Follow these landscaping tips to turn your outdoor space into an Inca dove paradise:
Emphasize Native Plants
Fill your yard with native grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, and trees. Native plants provide excellent sources of natural food and materials for Inca doves. Some great options include:
- Agave
- Ocotillo
- Mesquite
- Acacia
- Prickly pear cactus
- Penstemon
- Salvia
- Creosote bush
- Globemallow
- Jojoba
These hardy desert plants give great structure and ample seed, nectar, fruit, and insect sources. Group them densely for shelter opportunities. Allow dead stems, leaves, twigs, and brush to accumulate underneath.
Leave Open Ground
While planting densely, also allow open ground. Inca doves prefer to walk and forage on open ground versus dense lawn. Leave bare dirt areas, gravel walkways, or stepping stone paths.
You can also create dedicated dust bathing spots. Dig shallow pits, fill with fine sand, and sprinkle with diatomaceous earth. Position them in sunny, open spots.
Add Brush Piles
Leave prunings, dead branches, stems, bark, and other yard debris in brush piles instead of bagging it. This provides cover, nesting material, and insect habitat. Place brush piles strategically around food and water sources.
Include Rock Features
Incorporate rocks, boulders, and gravel mulch into your landscape design. Rock piles offer shelter nooks and crevices. Gravel mulch mimics the desert floor habitat Inca doves love. Position rocks around bird baths and nesting areas for added protection.
Plant Sheltering Shrubs
Use shrubs and hedges to create protected shelters and blockades. Some good choices include oleander, Texas sage, apache plume, mesquite, and juniper. Plant them in strategic places to close in preferred nesting and dining zones.
Add Water Features
Install a small water garden, fountain, or backyard stream to provide drinking and bathing water. Position it near dense shrubs or brush piles so the doves feel safe approaching it. Add water drippers and misters if possible.
Reduce Lawn Areas
Inca doves avoid manicured lawns, so minimize grassy areas. Replace turf with orchards, vegetable gardens, gravel and stone walkways, and mixed ornamental plantings. Leave wide open dirt spaces between planted areas.
Feeders and Supplies for Inca Doves
With the right supplies, you can provide targeted food and nutrition to please Inca doves. Here are some recommended feeders and accessories:
| Supply | Notes |
|---|---|
| Platform feeder | Use low, open platforms filled with small seeds, grains, and grit. |
| Tray feeder | Shallow trays allow access from all sides. |
| Ground feeding tray | Circular or rectangular trays designed to sit right on the ground. |
| Millet sprays | Hang fresh millet sprays low for them to peck. |
| Water mister | Mist attachment for bird baths to simulate rain. |
| Suet feeder | Holder with insect suet for protein. |
| Grit | Sand, crushed eggshells and oyster shell to help digest seeds. |
Scatter feed loosely on the ground or use low-profile feeders. Locate them near trees and shrubs to provide quick escape cover. Offer a variety of seeds, grains, greens, fruits, and insects. Don’t forget the all-important grit.
Tips for Attracting Inca Doves
Follow these handy tips to entice Inca doves to become regular backyard visitors:
- Reduce the lawn and increase native desert plantings.
- Leave brush piles and rock piles in place for shelter.
- Rake areas of loose soil for dust bathing spots.
- Set up multiple small, shallow bird baths around the yard.
- Scatter millet, sorghum, sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and greens.
- Offer fruits like figs, berries, raisins, and chopped dates.
- Include platform feeders or tray feeders filled with small seeds.
- Supply grit like sand, oyster shell, and crushed eggshells.
- Plant shrubs and vines to create protected nesting zones.
- Use drip irrigation to create small water sources.
- Limit pesticide use to provide insect food sources.
The easiest way to attract Inca doves is by mimicking their natural desert habitat. Provide open spaces near sheltering shrubs and trees. Scatter seeds, grains, and grit directly on the ground. Include natural water features with small bird baths. Follow these tips to fill your yard with these unique little doves.
Conclusion
With their sandy brown plumage and tiny stature, Inca doves bring delicate beauty to backyards across the Southwest. Attracting these petite doves relies on catering to their need for open ground cover, small seeds and greens, grit, sheltering shrubs, and accessible water.
By landscaping with their natural habitat in mind, adding brush piles, and providing platform feeders, you can entice Inca doves to visit your yard. Their charming appearance and soft cooing will add lively outdoor entertainment. With some strategic planning, you’ll be rewarded by a flock of Inca doves gathering to feed, bathe, and nest.
