Ring-Necked Dove vs Mourning Dove

Ring-Necked Dove

Streptopelia capicola

Also known as: Cape Turtle Dove, Half-Collared Dove

How to recognise a ring-necked dove?

General appearance

The ring-necked dove, often also called the Cape turtle dove or half-collared dove, stands out with its soft grey-beige plumage, underlined by a thin, black neck ring. Adults are around 25-26.5 cm in length and have broad, bright white edges on their long, pointed tail feathers. It has black eyes, red feet and legs, plus a black beak.

Male vs female

Male and female ring-necked doves look incredibly alike, both sporting the same, pale grey-brown coloration and diagnostic black ring around their neck. Subtle differences are noted in size, with males being slightly larger and usually exhibiting more robust neck rings, compared to the narrower band seen on the females.

Juvenile

Juvenile ring-necked doves possess an overall grey color, more washed out than the adults, and lack the distinctive neck ring. Their bill is more greyish, gradually turning to black as they mature, and their eye color is initially a dull brown, later changing to their iconic black. The tail feathers are also less pointy in their younger years.

Size

9.8 - 10.4 in/3.7 - 7.1 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The ring-necked dove predominantly inhabits South Africa. It prefers Savannas, subtropical forests, moist woodlands, and semi-desert regions.

Additional range

Additionally, it has shown resilience occupying non-traditional areas such as urban and suburban environments, adapting well to the presence of humans.

Range Map

What do ring-necked doves like to eat?

Natural diet

The ring-necked dove primarily feeds on a diet composed of seeds, which are a major component. They also consume small fruits and berries when available in their natural habitats. The birds forage mostly on the ground, picking up seeds from grasses and other plants. They occasionally eat small insects and snails, supplementing their diet with protein, especially when breeding.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, ring-necked doves are commonly attracted to grains and seeds. They tend to favor millet, cracked corn, and sunflower seeds, which are regularly offered in birdseed mixes. These birds are ground feeders, so platform feeders or scattered seed on the ground is ideal for attracting them to backyard feeding stations.

What does a ring-necked dove sound like?

The ring-necked dove typically vocalizes a delicate, mournful, cooing song consisting of five parts - coo-COO-coo, followed by a pause, then a final coo-COO. Its call, a soft 'hoo', is often mistaken for an owl. Males use these melodic calls to establish territory or attract mates, especially during breeding season. Interactions between doves can lead to a variety of other unique cooing patterns.

Call

Audio by MilesWelsh

/ CC BY-SA 3.0

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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

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Ring-Necked Dove

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Mourning Dove

Ring-Necked Dove

Streptopelia capicola

Also known as: Cape Turtle Dove, Half-Collared Dove

General appearance

The ring-necked dove, often also called the Cape turtle dove or half-collared dove, stands out with its soft grey-beige plumage, underlined by a thin, black neck ring. Adults are around 25-26.5 cm in length and have broad, bright white edges on their long, pointed tail feathers. It has black eyes, red feet and legs, plus a black beak.

Male vs female

Male and female ring-necked doves look incredibly alike, both sporting the same, pale grey-brown coloration and diagnostic black ring around their neck. Subtle differences are noted in size, with males being slightly larger and usually exhibiting more robust neck rings, compared to the narrower band seen on the females.

Juvenile

Juvenile ring-necked doves possess an overall grey color, more washed out than the adults, and lack the distinctive neck ring. Their bill is more greyish, gradually turning to black as they mature, and their eye color is initially a dull brown, later changing to their iconic black. The tail feathers are also less pointy in their younger years.

Size

9.8 - 10.4 in/3.7 - 7.1 oz

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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

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How to tell the Ring-Necked Dove from the Mourning Dove

Visual differences

The Ring-Necked Dove is slightly smaller, at 9.8-10.4 inches, and has soft gray-beige plumage with a distinct thin black neck ring. Its tail is long and pointed with bright white edges. The Mourning Dove is 9.1-13.4 inches long, has a slender build with hues of black, brown, gray, pink, tan, and a distinctive pointed tail with white spots. Mourning Doves have black spots on their wings, while Ring-Necked Doves feature black eyes and beaks with red legs. The sexes of Mourning Doves differ, while Ring-Necked Doves look alike.

Key differences and behavior

The Ring-Necked Dove and Mourning Dove differ notably in behavior, habitat, and diet. The Ring-Necked Dove, found primarily in South Africa, prefers savannas and woodlands, often near water, while the Mourning Dove inhabits temperate North American regions, favoring open and semi-open areas. The Ring-Necked Dove is noisy, known for its "How's father?" cooing, and exhibits head-bobbing movements when walking. In contrast, the Mourning Dove is known for silent, high-speed flights up to 55 mph and elaborate aerial courtship displays. Both species primarily consume seeds, but the Ring-Necked Dove occasionally eats fruits and insects, whereas seeds make up 99% of the Mourning Dove's diet. In nesting, both species share incubation duties, but Mourning Doves uniquely produce 'crop milk' for their young.