Eurasian Collared-Doves in California

Eurasian Collared-Doves live in California all year. Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward grain and feeder seed.

Mediterranean along the coast and Central Valley, alpine in the Sierra Nevada, and desert in the southeast.

Across California, Eurasian doves typically nest from February–September. Nest site: flimsy twig platform on buildings or trees. Females lay 2 eggs, incubate for 14–18 days, and young leave the nest after 15–19 days.

Dry summers with little rain from May to October; water and summer-blooming natives matter more than extra seed.

• Eurasian Collared-Doves don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as rabbitbrush, palo verde, prickly pear for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after September.

Of the regional native plants we track for California, these 8 provide food or cover Eurasian doves use:

Introduced to the Bahamas in the 1970s, it reached nearly every state by 2010.

• Best foods: Millet, Cracked corn, Sunflower.
• In California's winter: Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in.

Full diet breakdown for Eurasian doves · Best feeder for Eurasian doves