Mourning Doves in New York
When mourning doves are present in New York, when they nest, which native New York plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–7b yard.
- Status in New York
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–September
- Broods
- Up to 5–6 per season in the south
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–7b
When to expect mourning doves in New York
Mourning Doves live in New York all year. Long, snowy winters upstate; lake-effect snow belts make feeders and roost boxes important. 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 cold Adirondack highlands to the maritime-moderated coast of Long Island.
Nesting in New York
Across New York, 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 summers with a shorter nesting season upstate than downstate.
- 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 York plants that attract mourning doves
Of the regional native plants we track for New York, these 8 provide food or cover mourning doves use:
Fall seed.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
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 York 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 York's winter: Long, snowy winters upstate; lake-effect snow belts make feeders and roost boxes important.
Full diet breakdown for mourning doves · Best feeder for mourning doves
Frequently asked
Are mourning doves in New York year-round?
Yes. Mourning Doves are year-round residents in New York.
When do mourning doves nest in New York?
Nesting in New York 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 York?
Black-eyed Susan, Wild bergamot, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Sugar maple, Red maple are native plants in New York that provide food or cover for mourning doves.
Mourning Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in New York
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 York
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- New York Breeding Bird Atlas III
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.