The gentle cooing of doves, such as the widely recognized Mourning Dove, is a familiar sound in backyards across the continent. Encouraging their presence in your garden is straightforward once you understand their specific needs. By focusing on providing the right food, water, and shelter, you can create a welcoming habitat that encourages doves to settle in your outdoor space.
Providing Appropriate Food Sources
Doves are primarily granivores, meaning their diet consists almost entirely of seeds. They typically do not perch on small, swinging feeders but instead prefer to eat from large, open surfaces or the ground itself. Offering a consistent supply of their favorite seeds is the most effective way to attract them to your yard.
A mix of small grains is highly appealing to doves, with white millet, cracked corn, safflower, and sunflower hearts being top choices. Simply scattering seed directly on a clean, open patch of ground is often the most natural and preferred method for these birds. Establishing a regular feeding schedule and location reinforces the yard as a dependable food source, encouraging repeated visits.
Essential Water Features
Water is just as important as food for doves, and they have specific requirements for drinking and bathing. Unlike many songbirds, doves prefer water sources that mimic natural puddles or shallow pools, as they often wade into the water rather than dipping from the edge. A bird bath should have a gentle slope with the water depth no more than one to two inches at the deepest point.
The surface of the water feature should be textured, perhaps with a layer of sand or small, flat stones, to provide secure footing for the doves. Placing the water source on or near the ground is more inviting, as this is where doves naturally seek out water. This accessible design minimizes their vulnerability while they drink and bathe.
Water should be changed frequently, ideally daily, to prevent contamination from droppings, debris, and the growth of algae. The addition of a simple dripper or mister can also be highly effective, as the sight and sound of moving water are irresistible to birds.
Establishing Safe Roosting and Nesting Sites
Doves require safe places to rest, preen, and raise their young, making the structure of your garden a major factor in their long-term presence. They prefer dense foliage for cover, such as evergreen trees, thick shrubs, or vines on a trellis. These areas offer protection from weather and concealment from avian predators like hawks and owls.
When building a nest, doves typically construct a loose, simple structure from twigs and pine needles, which can be vulnerable to wind and rain. They will often utilize horizontal branches, ledges, or even artificial structures like window eaves or gutters. Providing a secure, semi-open spot, perhaps by allowing a vine to grow thickly over an arbor, can offer an ideal nesting location.
Safety from ground predators is equally important for doves, which spend much of their time foraging on the ground. Minimizing the presence of common threats, such as keeping domestic cats indoors, greatly increases the chance that doves will remain in the area. Placing feeders and water features in an open area, but near an escape cover, gives them a clear line of sight to spot danger while allowing for a quick retreat.