Doves are unarguably one of the most common bird species in Texas. How can we tell? Doves can be found in a variety of habitats across the State of Texas. There are several different types of doves in Texas, and they all have their unique characteristics.
Telling the types of doves in Texas apart may be challenging for some people. Some enthusiasts may even put up a search query for “dove species texas”. Well, with a little knowledge, you’ll be able to identify the different types of doves and learn more about these fascinating birds.
Here are five of the most common types of doves in Texas – Mourning Dove, White-winged Dove, Eurasian Collared Dove, Rock Dove, and Inca Dove will be introduced in this article.
Keep reading to learn some basic info on each types of doves as well as dove species in Texas and their identifying features.
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The Difference Between Doves And Pigeons
A lot of people confuse doves for pigeons and vice versa. How do you tell a dove apart? While doves and pigeons are both members of the bird family called Columbidae, there are some major differences between the two.
Firstly and secondly, doves are the smaller of the two species and have the prettier coloring. On the other hand, pigeons are larger and have mostly gray coloring. Thirdly, doves are less noisy than pigeons.
Doves are more common in Europe and Asia and are known for their gentle cooing and sweet song. While pigeons are more common in North America than doves and are notorious for their loud cooing.
Guess it makes more sense now. So, if you’re ever in doubt about whether the bird you’re seeing is a dove or a pigeon, simply remember the key differences: size, coloring, and sound. Doves are smaller, have prettier coloring, and are quieter than pigeons.
Interested in getting answers to the question, “What do doves in Texas look like?” Well, we’re moving into that now. We’ll see the different types of doves in Texas and what they look like.
Types Of Doves In Texas
The Mourning Dove
The Mourning Dove is the most common drove in North America, and is super popular among birders. This type of dove is found in Texas all year round, both in rural and urban areas.
This dove gets its name from its popular mournful cooing. Still, it’s a great bird to watch. It makes a cooing noise to communicate with other doves. You’ll usually find mournful doves perched on branches of trees, power lines, or even telephone wires.
While they sound mournful, they look beautiful. Mourning doves are not just beautiful but friendly also. The feathers on the head are gray while the body is a light brown color. They combine a medium body size with a thin neck and a long tail.
When it comes to nutrition, they love to eat seeds, fruits, and insects. For family life, mourning doves mate for life, laying between two to three eggs at a time. And they use sticks in building their nests. Looks like they have life all figured out.
Those who hunt them for game testify that the mourning dove is very tasty.
The White-Winged Dove
Of all the types of doves in Texas, the white-winged dove is the most common type. They are usually found in open areas like fields and meadows. They are passerine birds, so you’ll find them perched on trees, power lines, telephone wires, fences, or other objects.
And just as their name suggests, this dove type has white wings. In addition to that, they sport white tail feathers. As pretty social birds, you can’t categorise them as timid birds. Simply offering them a piece of food is enough to get them to come to you.
And it’s a usual thing to find them hanging around people. They love to pick up seeds, fruits, insects and other small creatures. When it’s time to travel, they often travel in groups.
White-winged doves take family seriously, and fidelity is one of their strong suits. They are monogamous and typically mate with one partner for life. Both the male and female actively raise the young. Within two weeks of hatching, their chicks are able to fly.
While they are not considered as endangered or threatened, white-winged doves can be affected by predators and habitat loss.
The Eurasian Collared-Dove
Another common type of dove in Texas is the Eurasian Collared-Dove. They are very adaptable birds and can live in a variety of habitats, including parks and your backyard. They’re medium in size, sport a reddish face and a long tail.
Eurasian collared doves eat mostly seeds but also accept fruits and insects. Both the male and female are invested in building the nest and taking care of the eggs. After they are hatched, the parents keep caring for their young till they are old enough to fly away.
The Rock Dove
Rock doves were first introduced to North America by the Spanish in the 1500s, and they’ve been prospering ever since. They’re a hardy bird, able to thrive in a variety of habitats, from cities to suburbs to open country.
They’re always cooing and looking for a place to roost. Rock doves are sociable birds and can be found in large flocks. They’re not too fussy when it comes to food, and will eat just about anything that’s put in front of them—including garbage.
The Inca Dove
Their bright white feathers make the Inca Dove pretty easy to spot. As adaptable birds, they can survive in a variety of different habitats. So, it’s no surprise that you can find them in forests, grasslands, and even in cities.
They love to eat seeds, but will also take insects if they can find them. They’re not shy about scavenging for food, either. You might see them walking around on the ground or perched in a tree.
Inca Doves are also monogamous and are pretty devoted parents too, with both the male and female take turns to incubate the eggs and feeding the chicks.
Final Thoughts On Types Of Doves in Texas
What do doves in Texas look like? One thing that’s common with these different types of doves in Texas is that they mate for life and are devoted parents. Another thing is that they are adaptable and thrive in various habitats.
When it comes to looks, we hope that if you’re ever outside and see a dove, you’ll be able to easily identify what type you’re seeing.
Seen any type of dove lately? Let us know how you could tell in the comments section below.
You can also read on Birds native to Utah here.
