Laughing Dove vs Mourning Dove

Laughing Dove

Spilopelia senegalensis

Also known as: Senegal Dove, Little Brown Dove

How to recognise a laughing dove?

General appearance

Laughing doves are small birds with a long tail, identifiable by their warm brown-grey blush, distinctive scalloped collars, and a rufous hue in their feathers. They are the epitome of soothing aesthetics with blush-pink necks, blending into an ashy-grey mantle and a pale greyish belly. Their red-rimmed eyes are a key feature.

Male vs female

Males and females look very similar, making them difficult to distinguish. However, males tend to be slightly larger and may have a more vibrant collar around their neck, while females appear paler and smaller.

Juvenile

Juvenile laughing doves exhibit less contrast compared to adults. They feature a poorly developed collar and a lighter brown grey shade. As they grow older, their feathers will darken and the collar will become more distinct.

Size

9.1 - 10.6 in/2.5 - 3.2 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The Laughing Dove typically resides in arid areas such as deserts and semi-deserts, farmlands, open woodlands, and urban areas in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent.

Additional range

Extraordinarily, this species has adapted to a wide variety of conditions and can also be found in unexpected environments like city centres and even high-altitude areas of up to 2000 meters.

Range Map

What do laughing doves like to eat?

Natural diet

The laughing dove primarily feeds on a variety of seeds from grasses and plants. It is known to forage on the ground, searching for seeds from weeds, cereals, and small plants. In addition to seeds, the diet includes small insects, such as termites and beetles, as well as small quantities of fruits and berries, which supplement its nutrition.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, laughing doves commonly consume a variety of grains and seeds, particularly those found in typical seed mixes. They are fond of millet, cracked corn, and sunflower seeds. The doves may also eat bread crumbs or small cereal pieces, which are sometimes offered at feeders, although their primary preference remains seeds and grains.

What does a laughing dove sound like?

The laughing dove produces a series of low pitched, rhythmic cooing sounds, typically characterized by the iconic "coo-oo, coo, coo, coo". Its name comes from the distinctive 'laughing' sound intrinsic to its regular call. Its song, often heard at dawn and dusk, is a repetitious cooing sequence, generally considered soothing and pleasant. Apart from these, when alarmed, it also produces a short and abrupt "wo-wo-wo" sound.

Call

Audio by MRG90

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

There's more to learn about Laughing Dove

View full details

Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

Also known as: American Mourning Dove, Rain Dove, Turtle Dove, Carolina Pigeon, Carolina Turtledove

How to recognise a mourning dove?

General appearance

The mourning dove is roughly the size of a crow, bearing characteristics of a long, pointed tail which is about 12', or 30 cm long. This tail displays white spots along its edge while in flight. The bird’s wings are adorned with black spots and its overall coloration exhibits hues of black, brown, gray, pink, tan, and white. The dove has a pointed, wedge-shaped tail.

Male vs female

The sexes of mourning doves can be distinguished by their coloration. Adult males generally have a pinkish tinge on their chests and a blue-gray tone on their crowns. However, the female doves are more dull and plain, predominantly appearing in a shade of brown.

Juvenile

Young mourning doves have a unique scaly appearance that can lead them to be confused with the Inca Dove or the Common Ground Dove. They do not possess the vivid coloring of the adults and generally appear more muted in color.

Size

9.1 - 13.4 in/3.0 - 6.0 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The mourning dove primarily inhabits open and semi-open locations in temperate parts of North America. This includes farms, towns, open woods, roadsides, and grasslands.

Additional range

It is prevalent in places with both trees and open ground, known as edge habitats, and occasionally in treeless areas. Unexpectedly, it also frequents suburban areas, farmland, prairies, and deserts, while avoiding unbroken forests.

Range Map

What do mourning doves like to eat?

Natural diet

The mourning dove predominantly consumes seeds, which constitute 99% of its diet. It shows a preference for seeds from cultivated grains, grasses, ragweeds, and various other plants. Occasionally, its natural diet includes snails and very rarely any insects.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, mourning doves enjoy seeds commonly provided, such as millet and cracked corn. Their preference aligns with the availability of cultivated grain and grass seeds often found in birdseed mixes.

What does a mourning dove sound like?

The mourning dove's vocalizations are characterized by its low, mournful coo-ah followed by three coos. This unique call pattern is projected in a falling, flat, yet undulating manner. Despite its melancholic tone, the dove's hoot type call is nonetheless captivating and distinct, reinforcing its colloquial name.

Call

Audio by Francis C, Ortega C, Cruz A

/ CC BY-SA 2.5

Song

Audio by Gabriel Leite

/ CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

There's more to learn about Mourning Dove

View full details

Laughing Dove

Tap To compare

Mourning Dove

Laughing Dove

Spilopelia senegalensis

Also known as: Senegal Dove, Little Brown Dove

General appearance

Laughing doves are small birds with a long tail, identifiable by their warm brown-grey blush, distinctive scalloped collars, and a rufous hue in their feathers. They are the epitome of soothing aesthetics with blush-pink necks, blending into an ashy-grey mantle and a pale greyish belly. Their red-rimmed eyes are a key feature.

Male vs female

Males and females look very similar, making them difficult to distinguish. However, males tend to be slightly larger and may have a more vibrant collar around their neck, while females appear paler and smaller.

Juvenile

Juvenile laughing doves exhibit less contrast compared to adults. They feature a poorly developed collar and a lighter brown grey shade. As they grow older, their feathers will darken and the collar will become more distinct.

Size

9.1 - 10.6 in/2.5 - 3.2 oz

There's more to learn about Laughing Dove

View full details

Mourning Dove

Zenaida macroura

Also known as: American Mourning Dove, Rain Dove, Turtle Dove, Carolina Pigeon, Carolina Turtledove

General appearance

The mourning dove is roughly the size of a crow, bearing characteristics of a long, pointed tail which is about 12', or 30 cm long. This tail displays white spots along its edge while in flight. The bird’s wings are adorned with black spots and its overall coloration exhibits hues of black, brown, gray, pink, tan, and white. The dove has a pointed, wedge-shaped tail.

Male vs female

The sexes of mourning doves can be distinguished by their coloration. Adult males generally have a pinkish tinge on their chests and a blue-gray tone on their crowns. However, the female doves are more dull and plain, predominantly appearing in a shade of brown.

Juvenile

Young mourning doves have a unique scaly appearance that can lead them to be confused with the Inca Dove or the Common Ground Dove. They do not possess the vivid coloring of the adults and generally appear more muted in color.

Size

9.1 - 13.4 in/3.0 - 6.0 oz

There's more to learn about Mourning Dove

View full details

How to tell the Laughing Dove from the Mourning Dove

Visual differences

Laughing Doves are smaller (9-10.6 inches, 2.5-3.2 ounces) than Mourning Doves (9-13 inches, 3-6 ounces). Laughing Doves have a warm brown-gray color with rufous-hued, copper-tipped neck feathers, and red-rimmed eyes, while Mourning Doves exhibit a mix of brown, gray, and tan with black wing spots. Laughing Doves feature a scalloped collar, unlike the Mourning Dove's blue-gray crown and pinkish chest. Mourning Doves have a pointed wedge-shaped tail with white edges, larger than the Laughing Dove's long, plain tail. Both lack prominent sexual dimorphism.

Key differences and behavior

The Laughing Dove and Mourning Dove differ notably in behavior and habitat preferences. Laughing Doves thrive in arid regions of Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, adapting to varied environments, including urban areas, while Mourning Doves favor temperate spaces in North America, like farms and open woods. Laughing Doves exhibit an elaborate courtship, often featuring chest-puffing and cooing. Mourning Doves engage in courtship flights with noisy wingbeats and mutual preening. Both doves nest in trees or on ledges, but Laughing Doves make simpler twig platforms. Diets mainly consist of seeds, but Laughing Doves supplement with insects and fruits, whereas Mourning Doves focus strictly on seeds. Laughing Doves weigh about 2.5-3.2 oz (23-27 cm long), whereas Mourning Doves are heftier at 3-6 oz (23-34 cm long).