Mourning Doves in Nevada
When mourning doves are present in Nevada, when they nest, which native Nevada plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–10a yard.
- Status in Nevada
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–September
- Broods
- Up to 5–6 per season in the south
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4a–10a
When to expect mourning doves in Nevada
Mourning Doves live in Nevada all year. Cold, dry winters in Reno and the north; mild winters in the south. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward waste grain and feeder seed.
Great Basin cold desert in the north and Mojave hot desert around Las Vegas.
Nesting in Nevada
Across Nevada, 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.
Very hot, dry summers; water is the top attractant.
- Mourning Doves don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as rabbitbrush, prickly pear, willow (bebb) for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after September.
Native Nevada plants that attract mourning doves
Of the regional native plants we track for Nevada, these 8 provide food or cover mourning doves use:
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
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.
Nectar-rich in summer, seed for finches in fall.
Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows.
Fruit and seed plus nest sites for Cactus Wrens.
Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.
Feeding mourning doves through the Nevada 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 Nevada's winter: Cold, dry winters in Reno and the north; mild winters in the south.
Full diet breakdown for mourning doves · Best feeder for mourning doves
Frequently asked
Are mourning doves in Nevada year-round?
Yes. Mourning Doves are year-round residents in Nevada.
When do mourning doves nest in Nevada?
Nesting in Nevada 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 Nevada?
Wild bergamot, Common sunflower, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Rocky Mountain bee plant, Rabbitbrush, Prickly pear, Willow (Bebb) are native plants in Nevada that provide food or cover for mourning doves.
Mourning Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in Nevada
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 — Nevada
- 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.