THE MOURNING DOVE 

 Pigeon Family — Columbidce 



Length: Nearly 12 inches; tail 5^ inches. 



General Appearance: A large, plump, grayish-brown bird, 

 with a small head, a black mark below the ear, and 

 a long pointed tail, in contrast to the round, fan- 

 shaped tail of tame pigeons. 



Male: Upper parts a soft grayish-brown, except the head, 

 which is bluish-gray on the crown, with a pinkish- 

 buff forehead, and the wings, which have long, gray 

 primaries. Sides of neck beautifully iridescent, with 

 a small black spot below the ear, an identification- 

 mark; black spots on the lower part of breast and 

 wings; breast with a pinkish tinge, and underneath 

 the tail pale yellow; tail long and sharply pointed 

 when the bird is at rest. In flight, it resembles the 

 jay's in shape; the middle feathers are brown, like 

 the back; outer feathers largely white; others brown, 

 tipped with white and banded with black; feet and 

 legs red. 



Female: Duller than male, with less iridescence on neck. 



Note: A soft, monotonous coo-oo-a-coo-o-o, uttered mourn- 

 fully and with great tenderness. The sound is 

 pleasing to some people, but unendurable to 

 others. 



Habitat: Open woodltuids, or fields bordered with trees. 



Range: North America. Breeds chiefly from southern Can- 

 ada throughout the United States and Mexico; 

 winters from southern Oregon, Colorado, the Ohio 

 Valley, and North Carolina to Panama; casual in 

 winter in the Middle States. 



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