White-winged Doves in Nevada
When white-winged doves are present in Nevada, when they nest, which native Nevada plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–10a yard.
- Status in Nevada
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- April–August
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4a–10a
When to expect white-winged doves in Nevada
White-winged Doves are summer residents in Nevada, arriving shortly before nesting begins in April and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on saguaro fruit, seeds.
Great Basin cold desert in the north and Mojave hot desert around Las Vegas.
Nesting in Nevada
Across Nevada, white-winged doves typically nest from April–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.
Very hot, dry summers; water is the top attractant.
- White-winged Doves don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as chokecherry, red-osier dogwood, rocky mountain juniper for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.
Native Nevada plants that attract white-winged doves
Of the regional native plants we track for Nevada, these 8 provide food or cover white-winged doves use:
Scarlet late-summer spikes; a hummingbird magnet in moist soil.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
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.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.
Feeding white-winged doves through the Nevada year
Expanding across Texas cities; often visits nectar feeders in Arizona.
- Best foods: Sunflower, Millet, Cracked corn.
- In Nevada's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Full diet breakdown for white-winged doves · Best feeder for white-winged doves
Frequently asked
Are white-winged doves in Nevada year-round?
No. White-winged Doves are summer breeders in Nevada and leave for the winter.
When do white-winged doves nest in Nevada?
Nesting in Nevada typically runs April–August, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–2 eggs, incubated for 14 days.
What native plants attract white-winged doves in Nevada?
Cardinal flower, Wild bergamot, Common sunflower, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Rocky Mountain juniper are native plants in Nevada that provide food or cover for white-winged doves.
White-winged Doves in other regions
Other backyard birds in Nevada
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 — Nevada
- 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.