Mourning Doves in Arkansas
When mourning doves are present in Arkansas, when they nest, which native Arkansas plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6b–8b yard.
- Status in Arkansas
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–September
- Broods
- Up to 5–6 per season in the south
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 6b–8b
When to expect mourning doves in Arkansas
Mourning Doves live in Arkansas all year. Mild winters with occasional ice storms that make suet and sheltered feeders critical for a few days at a time. 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 the Ozark and Ouachita highlands in the northwest and the flat Mississippi Delta in the east.
Nesting in Arkansas
Across Arkansas, mourning doves typically nest from March–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.
Hot, humid summers; shade nest boxes in the Delta.
- 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 Arkansas plants that attract mourning doves
Of the regional native plants we track for Arkansas, these 7 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.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for 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 Arkansas 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 Arkansas's winter: Mild winters with occasional ice storms that make suet and sheltered feeders critical for a few days at a time.
Full diet breakdown for mourning doves · Best feeder for mourning doves
Frequently asked
Are mourning doves in Arkansas year-round?
Yes. Mourning Doves are year-round residents in Arkansas.
When do mourning doves nest in Arkansas?
Nesting in Arkansas typically runs March–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 Arkansas?
Wild bergamot, Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Red maple are native plants in Arkansas that provide food or cover for mourning doves.
Mourning Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in Arkansas
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 — Arkansas
- 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.