Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Breeding Range. (Fig. 79). Common (locally abundant) throughout the state.
Breeding Habitat. A characteristic edge species of prairie and cropland, occurring along wood margins, in brushy thickets, in shelterbelts, and on adjoining tracts of native grasslands and agricultural fields. Mourning Doves also are characteristic inhabitants of landscaped residential areas in towns and suburbs and on farmsteads.
Nesting. Breeding season: Mid-April to early October; peak, early May to mid-August. In Stutsman County in 1950, Boldt and Hendrickson (1952) found the highest rate of nesting activity occurred in August. In Burleigh County in 1952, Randall (1955) reported that the peak nesting period occurred from early July to the second week of August.
Extreme egg dates (133 nests): April 16 [1938] in Barnes County (North Dakota State University Museum Catalog) to September 6 [1912] in Ransom County (A. Eastgate). About 82 percent of all nests with eggs that were recorded were found in May and June. Extreme nestling dates (22 nests): May 8 [1938] on J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge in McHenry County (refuge record file) to September 21 [1952] in Burleigh County (Randall 1955). Dependent young out of the nest were recorded from May 23 [1972] in Grand Forks County (R. L. Rytter) through October 2 [1952] in Burleigh County (Randall 1955).
Recent detailed description of sites for 55 nests, show that 25 were situated on the ground and 30 in trees. Ground nests were located in a variety of habitats including mixed-grass prairie, desert scrub prairie, hayfields, grain stubble, cultivated fields, and highway right-of-ways. The indications are that ground nests are preponderant in the southwestern third of the state and in the Sheyenne Grasslands of southeastern North Dakota, while tree nests are more numerous in the remaining portions. In 1873 during the expedition from Fort Rice west to the Montana line, several nests were found, all on the ground (Allen 1874). In 1874 during the expedition from Fort Lincoln southwest toward the Black Hills of South Dakota, Mourning Doves were abundant on the plains, and the "nest was always on the ground" (Grinnell 1875). However, large numbers were found nesting in trees along the wooded bottomland of the Cannonball River in 1915 (H. H. Sheldon) and in 1916 (V. Bailey).
Tree nests in natural woodlands were found situated in a considerable variety of trees including bur oak, American elm, box elder, peachleaf willow, quaking aspen, cottonwood, choke cherry, wild plum, and green ash. The height above the ground of 23 nests located in natural tree growth ranged from 4 to 20 feet and averaged 7 feet. Tree nests also are of regular occurrence in shelterbelts composed chiefly of exotic woody plants introduced by man and of native species. In Stutsman County in 1950, most shelterbelt nesting sites were in Chinese elm, American elm, and Russian olive; and the height above the ground for 43 of these nests ranged from 1 1/2 to 12 feet and averaged 5 feet (Boldt and Hendrickson 1952).
Indicated clutch size (48 nests): 1 to 3 eggs; mean, 2.0 eggs (2 clutches of 1 egg, 45 clutches of 2 eggs, and 1 clutch of 3 eggs).
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| Figure 79. Breeding Range of Mourning Dove. |
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/bbofnd/species/3160.htm
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