The Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is one of the most widespread and recognizable birds across North America, a common sight in backyards and open fields. The sounds it makes often confuse people, leading many to wonder about the source and meaning of its unique vocalizations. The bird’s namesake sound is a low, drawn-out call that strikes the human ear as melancholic or sorrowful. Understanding this bird requires separating its true vocal calls from other sounds it uses for communication, each serving a distinct purpose.
The Classic Coo: Source and Description
The sound most people associate with this species is a deep, low-pitched cooing that seems to carry a quiet lament across the landscape. This distinctive sound is a true vocalization, meaning the bird produces it using its syrinx, the avian equivalent of a voice box. The call is acoustically complex, typically described as a five-part phrase that can be phonetically rendered as coo-OOO-woo-woo-woo. The initial note is often a mournful, slightly descending sound, followed by three shorter, softer coos. It is the drawn-out, somber quality of this primary note that inspired the bird’s common name. This sound is usually only heard from a stationary bird, such as one perched high on a wire or a tree branch.
Decoding the Message: Purpose of the Vocalizations
This classic coo serves a singular purpose: reproductive signaling. The long, resonant coo is almost exclusively performed by the male Mourning Dove during the breeding season, which often spans from early spring through late summer. By issuing the loud call from a prominent perch, the male is effectively broadcasting his presence to potential mates and rivals across a wide distance. The call acts as a dual-purpose advertisement, simultaneously declaring a male’s established territory to other males and attracting a female for pairing. It indicates a male’s fitness. Females may respond with a much softer, less structured sound, but the long-distance coo is the male’s primary tool for initiating courtship. Once a pair is established, the cooing becomes less frequent and more directed toward maintaining the pair bond.
The Confusing Sound of Flight
One of the most frequently misunderstood sounds associated with the Mourning Dove is not a vocalization at all. When the bird takes off or lands with a sudden burst of speed, it produces a sharp, high-pitched whistling or whining noise. This sound is a mechanical phenomenon known as sonation, generated entirely by the rapid movement of air through specialized feathers on its wings. The outer primary flight feathers are slightly narrowed and stiffened, causing them to vibrate much like a reed when the bird is flapping its wings rapidly. This “wing whistle” is particularly noticeable during a panicked or rapid vertical takeoff. Scientists believe this loud, sudden mechanical sound serves as an alarm signal. The immediate, non-vocal whistle alerts nearby doves to a potential threat, prompting them to take flight instantly without the delay of a vocal warning.
Other Calls and Functions
Beyond the classic coo and the mechanical wing whistle, Mourning Doves utilize several other vocalizations for close-range communication. One such sound is the nest call, a quiet, rhythmic coo-oo that a male uses to encourage a female to a potential nest site. This softer, more intimate call helps reinforce the pair bond and coordinate the delicate process of nest building. A different, short vocalization is the alarm call, a brief, harsh roo-oo or grunt given when a dove is directly threatened or agitated. This call is distinct from the automatic wing whistle, serving as a more direct, localized warning to the mate or young. Paired males also use a soft greeting call, sometimes described as a quiet ork, when they rejoin their mate at the nest.