Mourning Doves in New Jersey
When mourning doves are present in New Jersey, when they nest, which native New Jersey plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–7b yard.
- Status in New Jersey
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–September
- Broods
- Up to 5–6 per season in the south
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 6a–7b
When to expect mourning doves in New Jersey
Mourning Doves live in New Jersey all year. Moderate winters; Cape May and the shore hold many half-hardy birds. 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 to subtropical, from the Highlands in the north to the Pine Barrens and Cape May.
Nesting in New Jersey
Across New Jersey, 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; Cape May is a world-class migration funnel.
- Mourning Doves don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch, sugar maple, red maple for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after September.
Native New Jersey plants that attract mourning doves
Of the regional native plants we track for New Jersey, 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.
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.
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Hosts hundreds of caterpillar species; spring flowers draw early insects.
Among the first spring bloomers; early insects for returning migrants.
Feeding mourning doves through the New Jersey 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 New Jersey's winter: Moderate winters; Cape May and the shore hold many half-hardy birds.
Full diet breakdown for mourning doves · Best feeder for mourning doves
Frequently asked
Are mourning doves in New Jersey year-round?
Yes. Mourning Doves are year-round residents in New Jersey.
When do mourning doves nest in New Jersey?
Nesting in New Jersey 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 New Jersey?
Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Sugar maple, Red maple are native plants in New Jersey that provide food or cover for mourning doves.
Mourning Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in New Jersey
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 — New Jersey
- 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.