Suet, a popular bird feeder offering, is rendered animal fat, often mixed with seeds, nuts, or dried fruits. It provides a high-energy food source, especially beneficial for many bird species during colder months. A common question among backyard bird feeders is whether doves consume suet.
Do Doves Eat Suet?
Doves generally do not eat suet. Their natural diet consists mainly of seeds and grains, not high-fat animal products. While suet provides concentrated energy for birds, it primarily attracts insect-eating species and omnivores like woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees. Doves are primarily granivores, focusing almost exclusively on seeds and grains.
Doves’ physical characteristics contribute to their disinterest in suet. Their small, pointed beaks are well-suited for picking up small seeds from the ground. This beak structure is not adapted for pecking at or breaking off pieces of suet from a solid block or cage feeder. If doves are observed near suet feeders, they are likely scavenging fallen crumbs rather than actively feeding from the suet itself.
What Doves Prefer to Eat
Doves are predominantly ground-feeding granivores, with seeds and grains making up nearly their entire diet. They consume various seeds, including white millet, cracked corn, safflower, and sunflower hearts. Occasionally, they may supplement their diet with small berries, fruits, or invertebrates, but these are not primary food sources. Doves also ingest grit to aid in grinding seeds within their gizzards.
Doves forage on the ground, collecting large quantities of whole seeds. They store these in a specialized pouch called a crop before digestion, allowing them to quickly gather food and retreat to a safe location. Providing foods like peanuts, millet, and cracked corn aligns with their natural foraging preferences.
Attracting Doves to Your Yard
To attract doves, cater to their ground-feeding habits and dietary preferences. Offer appropriate food in suitable feeders like ground feeders, platform feeders, or by scattering seeds directly on an open area. Doves prefer feeders with wide, flat surfaces that allow them to stand comfortably, as they do not readily perch on small, hanging feeders.
Beyond food, a clean, accessible water source is highly attractive. Doves require frequent water intake, especially in warm weather, preferring shallow, ground-level bird baths or dishes. Ensure the water is shallow (one to two inches deep) with a gentle slope or added stones for safe access. Placing feeders and water sources in open areas helps doves feel secure, allowing clear sightlines to detect predators.