Mourning Doves in Wisconsin
When mourning doves are present in Wisconsin, when they nest, which native Wisconsin plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–6a yard.
- Status in Wisconsin
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–September
- Broods
- Up to 5–6 per season in the south
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–6a
When to expect mourning doves in Wisconsin
Mourning Doves live in Wisconsin all year. Cold, snowy winters; boreal finches visit the north. 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, with two Great Lakes shorelines, northern forest and southern prairie-oak savanna.
Nesting in Wisconsin
Across Wisconsin, 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.
- Mourning Doves don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after September.
Native Wisconsin plants that attract mourning doves
Of the regional native plants we track for Wisconsin, these 8 provide food or cover mourning doves use:
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Leave seed heads up through winter for goldfinches.
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.
Feeding mourning doves through the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin's winter: Cold, snowy winters; boreal finches visit the north.
Full diet breakdown for mourning doves · Best feeder for mourning doves
Frequently asked
Are mourning doves in Wisconsin year-round?
Yes. Mourning Doves are year-round residents in Wisconsin.
When do mourning doves nest in Wisconsin?
Nesting in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?
Wild bergamot, Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Common sunflower, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch are native plants in Wisconsin that provide food or cover for mourning doves.
Mourning Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in Wisconsin
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 — Wisconsin
- 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.