The Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is a slender dove with long pointed tail and relative narrow, pointed wings. Widespread in suburban and agricultural areas with mix of open ground and brushy cover, it is found all year round in Louisiana. Forages on ground for seeds and readily comes to feeders. Named for their mournful call that is sometimes mistaken for an owl.
Nest is a flimsy platform comprised of sticks and grass stalks and is so open in construction that it is barely able to hold two pure white eggs. They normally raise two broods a year. A nest basket can be constructed out of a 12” diameter piece of hardware cloth (1/4” mesh). A 2-1/2” pie-shaped piece is cut out and wired into a cone shape, then placed in the crotch of a tree. This will provide a platform in which they can build a nest.