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Presidio of San Francisco
Mourning Dove
(Zenaida macroura)
 
Mourning Dove
Will Elder, NPS
A Morning Dove at the Thompson Reach restoration site.
 

Natural History: The Mourning Dove eats seeds, grasses, and sometimes insects. It nests in trees where it breeds from January to September.

General Distribution: In the Presidio, this species can be found in annual grasslands, coastal scrub areas, all forest areas, on lawns, amongst ornamentals, and on roads. It breeds in the Presidio.

Frequency: This species is abundant all year.

Identifying Characteristics: The Mourning Dove is brown in color and is slimmer than the domestic pigeon (Rock Dove) with a pointed tail bordered with large spots. It tends to emit three, "cooo" sounds in a row.

Presidio Birds main page

Buffalo Soldier Cavalry  

Did You Know?
For some of the Buffalo Soldiers in Roosevelt's Honor Guard, the president's visit to the Presidio was a reunion of sorts. During the Spanish-American War, the 9th Cavalry had fought alongside Colonel Roosevelt's "Rough Riders" at San Juan Hill.

Last Updated: March 14, 2008 at 17:21 EST