White-winged Doves in Florida
When white-winged doves are present in Florida, when they nest, which native Florida plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 8a–11b yard.
- Status in Florida
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–August
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 8a–11b
- Range note
- Established in south and central Florida.
When to expect white-winged doves in Florida
White-winged Doves live in Florida all year — established in south and central Florida. Winter is the busy feeder season as northern migrants — goldfinches, wrens and others — arrive from October. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward seeds and grain.
Humid subtropical in the north to tropical in the Keys; a wet summer and a dry winter season.
Nesting in Florida
Across Florida, white-winged doves typically nest from March–August. Nest site: twig platform in trees. Females lay 1–2 eggs, incubate for 14 days, and young leave the nest after 13–16 days.
Heat, humidity and summer storms: boxes need drainage holes, ventilation and shade, and nectar spoils fast.
- White-winged Doves don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as wax myrtle, american beautyberry, coral honeysuckle for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.
Native Florida plants that attract white-winged doves
Of the regional native plants we track for Florida, these 8 provide food or cover white-winged doves use:
Waxy winter berries and dense evergreen cover.
Late-summer purple fruit clusters.
Blooms spring through summer.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Feeding white-winged doves through the Florida year
Expanding across Texas cities; often visits nectar feeders in Arizona.
- Best foods: Sunflower, Millet, Cracked corn.
- In Florida's winter: Winter is the busy feeder season as northern migrants — goldfinches, wrens and others — arrive from October.
Full diet breakdown for white-winged doves · Best feeder for white-winged doves
Frequently asked
Are white-winged doves in Florida year-round?
Yes. White-winged Doves are year-round residents in Florida. Established in south and central Florida.
When do white-winged doves nest in Florida?
Nesting in Florida typically runs March–August, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–2 eggs, incubated for 14 days.
What native plants attract white-winged doves in Florida?
Wax myrtle, American beautyberry, Coral honeysuckle, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Smooth sumac, Black cherry are native plants in Florida that provide food or cover for white-winged doves.
White-winged Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in Florida
Sources
- White-winged Dove — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- White-winged Dove life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- White-winged Dove — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Florida
- 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.