Mourning Doves in Alabama
When mourning doves are present in Alabama, when they nest, which native Alabama plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7a–9a yard.
- Status in Alabama
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- February–September
- Broods
- Up to 5–6 per season in the south
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 7a–9a
When to expect mourning doves in Alabama
Mourning Doves live in Alabama all year. Freezes are short and snow is rare; feeder traffic peaks as goldfinches, siskins and sparrows arrive from the north. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward waste grain and feeder seed.
Humid subtropical, with Gulf-influenced warmth in Mobile and Baldwin counties and cooler Appalachian foothills in the northeast.
Nesting in Alabama
Across Alabama, mourning doves typically nest from February–September. Nest site: flimsy twig platform in trees, shrubs, gutters or ledges. Females lay 2 eggs, incubate for 14 days, and young leave the nest after 12–15 days.
Long, humid summers with frequent thunderstorms — ventilated boxes and daily-refreshed water matter.
- Mourning Doves don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as red maple for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after September.
Native Alabama plants that attract mourning doves
Of the regional native plants we track for Alabama, these 6 provide food or cover mourning doves use:
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Leave seed heads up through winter for goldfinches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Among the first spring bloomers; early insects for returning migrants.
Feeding mourning doves through the Alabama year
Doves fill their crop quickly at ground trays and platform feeders, then digest on a nearby perch.
- Best foods: Millet, Cracked corn, Black-oil sunflower, Safflower.
- In Alabama's winter: Freezes are short and snow is rare; feeder traffic peaks as goldfinches, siskins and sparrows arrive from the north.
Full diet breakdown for mourning doves · Best feeder for mourning doves
Frequently asked
Are mourning doves in Alabama year-round?
Yes. Mourning Doves are year-round residents in Alabama.
When do mourning doves nest in Alabama?
Nesting in Alabama typically runs February–September, with up to 5–6 per season in the south. Clutches are 2 eggs, incubated for 14 days.
What native plants attract mourning doves in Alabama?
Wild bergamot, Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Red maple are native plants in Alabama that provide food or cover for mourning doves.
Mourning Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in Alabama
Sources
- Mourning Dove — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Mourning Dove life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Mourning Dove — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Alabama
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.