Why is a mourning dove called

Get smart. Sign up for our email newsletter. Sign Up. Read More Previous. Support science journalism. Knowledge awaits. See Subscription Options Already a subscriber? Create Account See Subscription Options. Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription.

Subscribe Now You may cancel at any time. Both the male and the female incubate the eggs for 14 days. Both parents feed the chicks, or squabs , " pigeon milk. Their crop is a sac at the bottom of their esophagus. Pigeon milk is also called crop milk. The chicks fledge when they are 2 weeks old, but they stay near their parents for weeks and continue to be fed by them.

In warm areas, the female mourning dove may have as many as six broods a year. The mourning dove is named for its haunting and sad cooing sound. Its call is sometimes mistaken for the call of an owl. When the mourning doves flies, its wings make a whistling sound. Game hunters and extreme weather also can be dangerous: Storms blow nests from the trees, and heavy rain can kill nestlings and adults.

Because only 20 to 30 percent of hatchlings survive past one year, mourning doves raise as many as six broods annually. Mourning doves can suck water up through their bills like a straw, unlike other many birds who must tip their heads back to swallow water. They can drink brackish water up to 25 percent as salty as seawater. All rights reserved. Common Name: Mourning doves. Scientific Name: Zenaida macroura. Type: Birds.

Average Life Span: Around one year but can reach up to five years. Size: 12 inches long. Least concern. Least Concern Extinct. Current Population Trend: Increasing. Share Tweet Email. Go Further. Animals Climate change is shrinking many Amazonian birds. Animals Wild Cities This wild African cat has adapted to life in a big city. Animals This frog mysteriously re-evolved a full set of teeth.

Animals Wild Cities Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London. Animals Wild Cities Morocco has 3 million stray dogs. Meet the people trying to help. Environment COP26 nears conclusion with mixed signals and frustration.

Environment Planet Possible India bets its energy future on solar—in ways both small and big.