Doves are among the most common and beloved birds in Arizona. They come in seven different varieties, each with its own characteristics and behaviors. In this article, you’ll discover the fascinating world of doves, from the familiar Mourning Dove and the elegant Band-tailed Pigeon to the rare and endangered Inca Dove. You’ll also learn how doves contribute to the balance and beauty of Arizona’s ecosystems.

What Are The Types of Doves in Arizona?

Arizona’s unique landscape provides a welcoming habitat for a variety of dove species. Let’s take a closer look at each of these/ remarkable birds:

1. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

You’ve probably seen them around your neighborhood or heard their sad cooing from a nearby tree. They are the Mourning Doves, and they are everywhere in Arizona. But how much do you really know about these graceful birds? In this article, you’ll learn some surprising facts about their appearance, habitat, and behavior.

How to Recognize a Mourning Dove

Mourning Doves are easy to identify by their pale gray feathers with a touch of pink on their chests. They have long, pointed tails with white edges, and reddish eyes with dark pupils. Their heads are small and round, giving them a cute and innocent look.

Where to Find a Mourning Dove

Mourning Doves are very adaptable and can live in almost any environment. They are common in urban areas, where they feed on seeds, grains, and fruits. They also inhabit deserts, where they drink from water sources and nest in cacti. You can find them in open fields, parks, and residential neighborhoods, where they often perch on wires, fences, or roofs.

How to Build a Nest Like a Mourning Dove

Mourning Doves are not very picky about their nests. They use twigs, grass, leaves, or even trash to make a simple platform in a tree, shrub, or building. They usually lay two eggs at a time, and both parents take turns incubating them. The eggs hatch after about two weeks, and the young doves leave the nest after another two weeks.

Why Mourning Doves Sound So Sad

Mourning Doves are named after their distinctive cooing, which sounds like a soft lament. This sound is used by males to attract females and to defend their territory. Females also coo to communicate with their mates and their chicks. The cooing is not a sign of sadness, but rather a way of expressing their emotions and needs.

2. Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina)

You may have never noticed them, but they are always there. They are the Common Ground Doves, and they are the smallest birds in Arizona. But don’t let their size fool you. These doves have some amazing adaptations and behaviors that make them unique and fascinating. In this article, you’ll learn some surprising facts about their appearance, habitat, and fun fact.

How to Spot a Common Ground Dove

Common Ground Doves are hard to see, but easy to recognize once you know what to look for. They have a sandy brown body with a scaled pattern on their wings. They also have a rosy patch on their head and neck, and reddish legs. Their beaks are short and black, and their eyes are dark and round.

Where to Find a Common Ground Dove

Common Ground Doves love dry and open habitats. They are often found in deserts, grasslands, and savannas. They feed on the ground, picking up seeds and insects with their beaks. They nest in low shrubs and bushes, making a simple platform of twigs and grass.

How to Hide Like a Common Ground Dove

Common Ground Doves are masters of camouflage. They use their color and pattern to blend in with the desert vegetation. They also stay low and quiet, avoiding predators and humans. They only make a soft cooing sound when they are mating or alarmed.

3. White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

You may have heard their distinctive call in the evening, or seen their white patches flash in the sun. They are the White-winged Doves, and they are one of the most elegant birds in Arizona. But how much do you really know about these beautiful birds? In this article, you’ll learn some surprising facts about their appearance, habitat, and did you know.

How to Identify a White-winged Dove

White-winged Doves are easy to spot by their large and plump body, which is pale grayish in color. They have prominent white patches on their wings, which are visible when they fly or spread their wings. They also have bright red eyes with blue eye rings, and long, tapered tails.

Where to Find a White-winged Dove

White-winged Doves are very adaptable and can live in both urban and wild environments. They are often found perched on trees and wires, where they can survey their surroundings. They nest in trees, especially palm trees, which provide them with shelter and food.

How to Listen to a White-winged Dove

White-winged Doves are known for their distinctive call, which sounds like “who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all”. This sound is used by males to attract females and to announce their presence. Females also make a softer cooing sound when they are nesting or feeding their young. The call of the White-winged Dove is a common sound in Arizona’s summer evenings.

You May Also Like to Read: Does Red Peacock Exist?

4. Inca Dove (Columbina inca)

You may have never heard of them, but they are one of the cutest birds in Arizona. They are the Inca Doves, and they have some adorable features and behaviors that make them stand out. In this article, you’ll learn some surprising facts about their appearance, habitat, and fun fact.

How to Spot an Inca Dove

Inca Doves are tiny and slender, but they have a lot of personality. They have brownish-gray feathers with intricate black and white patterns that look like scales. They also have cinnamon-colored wings that contrast with their body. Their tails are short and slender, with white edges that flash when they fly.

Where to Find an Inca Dove

Inca Doves love dry and warm environments. They are often found in deserts, grasslands, and urban areas. They feed on the ground, eating mostly seeds. They nest in low shrubs and trees, using twigs and grasses to make a simple platform.

How to Watch an Inca Dove

Inca Doves are known for their synchronized flight patterns and are a delight to watch as they dart through the air. They fly in pairs or small groups, making sharp turns and twists. They also make a soft cooing sound that sounds like “no hope”. This sound is used to communicate with other doves and to attract mates.

5. Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

How a Newcomer Dove Conquered Arizona

You may have seen them around your neighborhood, or heard their distinctive cooing from the rooftops. They are the Eurasian Collared-Doves, and they are taking over Arizona.

These doves are not native to Arizona, or even to North America. They are invaders from across the ocean, and they have a remarkable story of how they got here and why they are so successful.

What Do They Look Like?

Eurasian Collared-Doves are medium-sized doves with a pale grayish body. They have a black “collar” on the back of their neck, which gives them their name. Their tails are long and pointed, and their eyes are red with a white patch below them.

They may look similar to some of the native doves in Arizona, such as the Mourning Dove or the Inca Dove, but they are larger and have a different shape and coloration.

Where Do They Live?

Eurasian Collared-Doves are very adaptable and can live in almost any kind of habitat. They prefer areas with human activity, such as farms, towns, and cities. They often perch on power lines, rooftops, and other high places. They nest in trees, shrubs, and sometimes even on buildings.

They are not picky about what they eat, either. They feed on seeds, grains, fruits, and insects. They can also scavenge from garbage and bird feeders.

How Did They Get Here?

Eurasian Collared-Doves are originally from Asia, but they have spread to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East over the centuries. They were introduced to the Bahamas in the 1970s, and then to Florida in the 1980s. From there, they rapidly expanded their range across North America, reaching Arizona in the late 1990s.

How did they manage to spread so fast and so far? One reason is that they have a high reproductive rate. They can breed year-round, and can raise up to six broods of two eggs each per year. Another reason is that they have few natural predators or competitors. They can outcompete native doves for food and nesting sites, and they can evade hawks and falcons with their agile flight.

What Does It Mean for Arizona?

Eurasian Collared-Doves are here to stay, and they may have a significant impact on the ecology and economy of Arizona. Some people may enjoy their presence, as they provide a source of food and sport for hunters, and a new challenge for birdwatchers. Others may dislike them, as they can cause damage to crops, buildings, and vehicles, and transmit diseases to humans and other animals.

But the most important question is: how will they affect the native wildlife of Arizona? Will they compete with or displace the native doves, such as the endangered Sonoran White-Winged Dove? Will they attract more predators, such as Cooper’s Hawks and Great Horned Owls, that may also prey on other birds? Will they alter the food web and the ecosystem balance?

These are some of the questions that scientists and conservationists are trying to answer, as they monitor the population and behavior of the Eurasian Collared-Doves in Arizona. The future of these doves, and their impact on the state, is still uncertain. But one thing is clear: they are not going anywhere anytime soon.

You May Want to Read: BLACK BIRDS IN FLORIDA

6. Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)

How to Appreciate the Rock Pigeon: Arizona’s Most Common Bird

You may have seen them everywhere, or ignored them as pests. They are the Rock Pigeons, and they are the most common birds in Arizona’s cities. But how much do you really know about these ubiquitous birds? In this article, you’ll learn some surprising facts about their appearance, habitat, and fun fact.

What Do They Look Like?

Rock Pigeons are medium-sized birds with a stout body. They have grayish-blue feathers, but they can also have different colors and patterns depending on their genes. They have a distinctive iridescent patch on their neck, which reflects different colors in the light. Their eyes are red with a pale ring around them.

Where Do They Live?

Rock Pigeons are highly adaptable and thrive in urban environments. They are often seen perched on buildings and ledges, where they can find shelter and food. They build nests on buildings and other structures, using twigs, feathers, and trash. They feed on seeds, grains, and human scraps.

How Did They Get Here?

Rock Pigeons are not native to Arizona, or even to North America. They are originally from Europe, Asia, and Africa, where they lived on cliffs and rocks. They were brought to North America by European settlers in the 1600s, who used them for food, sport, and communication. Since then, they have spread across the continent, becoming one of the most widespread and successful birds in the world.

7. Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata)

Have you ever seen a Band-tailed Pigeon in Arizona? If you have, you are lucky. This dove is not very common and likes to stay in remote areas. But if you spot one, you will be amazed by its beauty and behavior. Here are some facts about this fascinating bird:

• It has a slate-gray body and a white band on its tail. It also has yellow bill and legs, and dark eyes. It looks like a bigger and fancier version of the common pigeon.
• It lives in forests with tall trees, especially conifers. It builds its nest high up in the branches, using sticks and twigs. It likes to stay in mountainous regions, away from human disturbance.
• It can fly very far and fast. It migrates long distances every year, following the food sources. It eats mostly fruits, seeds, and nuts. It sometimes visits Arizona in the winter, looking for acorns and berries.

The Band-tailed Pigeon is a remarkable and rare dove that you should look out for. It is a special sight to see in Arizona. If you want to learn more about this bird, you can visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department website

FAQs:

Q1: What kind of doves are in Arizona?

Mourning doves are common in Arizona.

Q2: Do Arizona doves mate for life?

Mourning doves do not typically mate for life; they form new pairs each breeding season.

Q3: Do pigeons live in AZ?

Yes, pigeons are found in Arizona, including the common rock pigeon.

Q4: Are doves protected in Arizona?

Yes, mourning doves are protected in Arizona and regulated by wildlife conservation laws.

David Cooper