Mourning Doves in Utah
When mourning doves are present in Utah, when they nest, which native Utah plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–9a yard.
- Status in Utah
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–September
- Broods
- Up to 5–6 per season in the south
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4a–9a
When to expect mourning doves in Utah
Mourning Doves live in Utah all year. Cold winters with valley inversions; mountain birds descend to backyards. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward waste grain and feeder seed.
Semi-arid to arid, with the Wasatch Range rising above the Great Basin and red-rock canyon country in the south.
Nesting in Utah
Across Utah, 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, dry summers.
- Mourning Doves don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as rabbitbrush, prickly pear for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after September.
Native Utah plants that attract mourning doves
Of the regional native plants we track for Utah, 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.
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.
Feeding mourning doves through the Utah 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 Utah's winter: Cold winters with valley inversions; mountain birds descend to backyards.
Full diet breakdown for mourning doves · Best feeder for mourning doves
Frequently asked
Are mourning doves in Utah year-round?
Yes. Mourning Doves are year-round residents in Utah.
When do mourning doves nest in Utah?
Nesting in Utah 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 Utah?
Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Rocky Mountain bee plant, Rabbitbrush, Prickly pear are native plants in Utah that provide food or cover for mourning doves.
Mourning Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in Utah
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 — Utah
- 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.