Mourning Doves in California
When mourning doves are present in California, when they nest, which native California plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–11a yard.
- Status in California
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- February–September
- Broods
- Up to 5–6 per season in the south
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5a–11a
When to expect mourning doves in California
Mourning 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 waste grain and feeder seed.
Mediterranean along the coast and Central Valley, alpine in the Sierra Nevada, and desert in the southeast.
Nesting in California
Across California, 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.
Dry summers with little rain from May to October; water and summer-blooming natives matter more than extra seed.
- Mourning 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.
Native California plants that attract mourning doves
Of the regional native plants we track for California, these 8 provide food or cover mourning doves use:
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.
Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows.
Seed pods and insect-rich spring bloom.
Fruit and seed plus nest sites for Cactus Wrens.
Feeding mourning doves through the California 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 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 mourning doves · Best feeder for mourning doves
Frequently asked
Are mourning doves in California year-round?
Yes. Mourning Doves are year-round residents in California.
When do mourning doves nest in California?
Nesting in California 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 California?
Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Rabbitbrush, Palo verde, Prickly pear are native plants in California that provide food or cover for mourning doves.
Mourning Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in California
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 — California
- 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.