When we find a dove during our walks and I identify it, I am occasionally asked “Why do they call it a Morning Dove? Is it usually seen in the morning?”
In fact, these lovely birds are called Mourning Doves because of their mournful cooing. In this video, the coo starts around 0.15 seconds.
We saw and heard several Mourning Doves this morning.
Other birds at Lambton Woods:
I went to Lambton early to get some photos of Skunk-cabbage:
Today’s group:
MAILBOX
Hummingbird nest at car port and other photos from Mexico.😮
NATURE POETRY
Handle a book as a bee does a flower,
extract its sweetness but do not damage it. – John Muir (1838–1914)
Miles Hearn
Besides the cooing from the mourning dove, the video also catches the sound made by the wings as it flies away. I always assumed the bird was speaking that squeaky noise as it takes off but it is the whistle of the air through the wings. Quite unusual.
The Latin name for mourning dove is Zenaida macroura–after the Egyptian princess you mentioned, Miles.