Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Gentle Mourning Dove

Have you ever heard the gentle "cooooing" of a mourning dove? I love that sound. "Cooooo, coooo, coooohhhh. It's a very soft and delicate sound. This one I found resting on a bench. I have pairs of them around my house. In Chicago and much of North America they're year round dwellers, finding a mate and keeping him/her for life. Another example of animals "getting it right". Anyway, I know from watching the morning doves by my house that they're ground feeders, meaning they rather eat the seeds from the ground than at the feeder. I've also noticed that they'll back away when there is a crowd competing for seed, even if the crowd consists of sparrows less than half their size! Don't let those guys bully you around!