Mourning Doves in Colorado
When mourning doves are present in Colorado, when they nest, which native Colorado plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–7b yard.
- Status in Colorado
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–September
- Broods
- Up to 5–6 per season in the south
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–7b
When to expect mourning doves in Colorado
Mourning Doves live in Colorado all year. Cold snaps alternate with sunny, dry thaws; heated baths are valuable because natural water freezes nightly. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward waste grain and feeder seed.
Semi-arid high plains in the east and the Rocky Mountains through the center, with most backyards between 5,000 and 7,000 ft.
Nesting in Colorado
Across Colorado, 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.
Warm, dry days and cool nights; afternoon storms are common in July and August.
- Mourning Doves don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as rabbitbrush for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after September.
Native Colorado plants that attract mourning doves
Of the regional native plants we track for Colorado, 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.
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.
Nectar-rich in summer, seed for finches in fall.
Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows.
Feeding mourning doves through the Colorado 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 Colorado's winter: Cold snaps alternate with sunny, dry thaws; heated baths are valuable because natural water freezes nightly.
Full diet breakdown for mourning doves · Best feeder for mourning doves
Frequently asked
Are mourning doves in Colorado year-round?
Yes. Mourning Doves are year-round residents in Colorado.
When do mourning doves nest in Colorado?
Nesting in Colorado 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 Colorado?
Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Rocky Mountain bee plant, Rabbitbrush are native plants in Colorado that provide food or cover for mourning doves.
Mourning Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in Colorado
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 — Colorado
- 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.