Mourning Doves in Quebec
When mourning doves are present in Quebec, when they nest, which native Quebec plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 0a–5b yard.
- Status in Quebec
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–September
- Broods
- Up to 5–6 per season in the south
- Hardiness zones
- Canada 0a–5b
When to expect mourning doves in Quebec
Mourning Doves live in Quebec all year. Long, cold, snowy winters. 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 in the St. Lawrence valley, boreal forest to the north, tundra in Nunavik.
Nesting in Quebec
Across Quebec, 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.
Warm, humid summers in the south.
- 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 Quebec plants that attract mourning doves
Of the regional native plants we track for Quebec, 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 Quebec 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 Quebec's winter: Long, cold, snowy winters.
Full diet breakdown for mourning doves · Best feeder for mourning doves
Frequently asked
Are mourning doves in Quebec year-round?
Yes. Mourning Doves are year-round residents in Quebec.
When do mourning doves nest in Quebec?
Nesting in Quebec 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 Quebec?
Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Sugar maple, Red maple are native plants in Quebec that provide food or cover for mourning doves.
Mourning Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in Quebec
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 — Quebec
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- 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.