Mourning Doves in Indiana
When mourning doves are present in Indiana, when they nest, which native Indiana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7a yard.
- Status in Indiana
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–September
- Broods
- Up to 5–6 per season in the south
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5b–7a
When to expect mourning doves in Indiana
Mourning Doves live in Indiana all year. Cold winters with lake-effect snow in the far 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 continental, from Lake Michigan dunes in the north to the forested hill country of the south.
Nesting in Indiana
Across Indiana, 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, humid summers with frequent storms.
- Mourning Doves don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as sugar maple for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after September.
Native Indiana plants that attract mourning doves
Of the regional native plants we track for Indiana, these 8 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.
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.
Hosts hundreds of caterpillar species; spring flowers draw early insects.
Feeding mourning doves through the Indiana 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 Indiana's winter: Cold winters with lake-effect snow in the far north.
Full diet breakdown for mourning doves · Best feeder for mourning doves
Frequently asked
Are mourning doves in Indiana year-round?
Yes. Mourning Doves are year-round residents in Indiana.
When do mourning doves nest in Indiana?
Nesting in Indiana 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 Indiana?
Wild bergamot, Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Sugar maple are native plants in Indiana that provide food or cover for mourning doves.
Mourning Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in Indiana
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 — Indiana
- 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.