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Mourning dove
Zenaida macroura
34.6874, -86.7371
Field Notes
Description:
Gray with large black spots on the wings. Light peach colored breast. Small rounded head. Long tail, thin black beak, pink legs. What appears to be blue eyeliner in a thin band around the eyes. Puffs up to stay warm and looks round and fluffy.
Habitat:
I found this organism on the top shelf of a wrought iron baker's rack on my screened back porch. It was sitting atop it's nest of little sticks. The baker's rack is in a protected corner of the porch, so safe from wind and rain. Suburban ranch style house not far from wetland area in the Tennessee River Valley of Alabama.
Notes:
My photo is of the female on her nest with her two hatchlings. The male visits often and before approaching the nest he calls to the female from a willow oak tree nearby. I have heard her answer him on one occasion. The porch where they nest is used by the family living in the house. People come and go, care for potted plants, play with grandchildren, sit and converse. When we hear the male bird in the tree, we take everyone indoors and pull the drapes so the birds may feed in peace. A poodle attended by three adults was successfully groomed not ten feet from the nest and the doves did not budge.
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