Mourning Doves in North Dakota
When mourning doves are present in North Dakota, when they nest, which native North Dakota plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–4b yard.
- Status in North Dakota
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–September
- Broods
- Up to 5–6 per season in the south
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–4b
When to expect mourning doves in North Dakota
Mourning Doves live in North Dakota all year. Severe winters to −30°F; Snow Buntings and redpolls arrive from the Arctic. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward waste grain and feeder seed.
Continental northern prairie with prairie-pothole wetlands and the Missouri River breaks.
Nesting in North Dakota
Across North Dakota, mourning doves typically nest from April–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.
Short, warm summers with a peak nesting season in June.
- Mourning Doves don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch, sugar maple for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after September.
Native North Dakota plants that attract mourning doves
Of the regional native plants we track for North Dakota, 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.
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Hosts hundreds of caterpillar species; spring flowers draw early insects.
Feeding mourning doves through the North Dakota 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 North Dakota's winter: Severe winters to −30°F; Snow Buntings and redpolls arrive from the Arctic.
Full diet breakdown for mourning doves · Best feeder for mourning doves
Frequently asked
Are mourning doves in North Dakota year-round?
Yes. Mourning Doves are year-round residents in North Dakota.
When do mourning doves nest in North Dakota?
Nesting in North Dakota typically runs April–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 North Dakota?
Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Sugar maple are native plants in North Dakota that provide food or cover for mourning doves.
Mourning Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in North Dakota
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 — North Dakota
- 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.