Sounds

Figure 4. Advertising or "perch coo" of the Mourning Dove

Vocalizations

Development/Juvenile Vocalizations

Juvenile vocalizations consist of weak “peeping” early on, apparently associated with solicitation of food from parents; heard in nestlings as young as 5 d, becoming stronger and more persistent as squabs reach fledging age. Intensity peaks in the week after fledging in captive birds and is inversely related to the condition of the young (DAM personal observation). Often associated with intense wing-flapping begging displays in post-fledging birds. Vocalization ceases as young reach independence from adult feeding around 25 d of age.

Development

Much of the existing information summarized by Sayre et al (1993).

Adult Vocal Array

The term call is sometimes used ambiguously for this species. For example, the Call-Count Survey (Dolton and Rau 2006), a nationwide roadside survey for Mourning Dove, is based on counts of individual perch-coos along standardized routes (McClure 1939, Foote and Peters 1952). As in many other pigeons and doves, main vocalizations have sexual context, and development is related to sexual maturity. The song is a “perch coo” (Craig 1911), or “advertising coo,” “a di-syllabic coo followed by 2 or 3 louder coos, or coo-oo, OO, OO, OO” (Goodwin 1983: 179; Fig. 4). Uttered repeatedly by unmated males in breeding condition, often, but not always, from conspicuous perches. Principal function seems to be attraction of a mate. Similar, perhaps identical, utterances follow a Charging Display (Jackson and Baskett 1964) (see Behavior: sexual behavior, courtship displays and copulation) and are also used to elicit behavior of fledged young away from nest that helps male parent find and feed them (Hitchcock et al. 1989). Females sometimes utter faint perch coos (Frankel and Baskett 1961).

Male nest call much shorter than song; highly inflected, each note distinct. Typically consists of 3 notes, a low coo, a high OO, and a low oo. Used by paired male to attract his mate to potential nest site; also during nest-building. Frequency of male nest call diminishes greatly after nest is established, but it is sometimes used to call female for nest exchange (Frankel 1961). Call lasts about 1 s and ranges in frequency from about 400 to 750 Hz (Baptista et al. 1983).

Nest call of female Grayson’s Dove (Baptista et al. 1983) very similar to that of female Mourning Dove (R. R. Hitchcock pers. comm. 1988). Call is represented as ohr ohr or ohr ohr ohr; given by incubating female and sometimes results in approach of mate and a nest exchange.

Greeting call sounds like soft ork; lasts about 0.3 s, at frequency of 375–750 Hz (Baptista et al. 1983). Uttered by male rejoining his mate, or by birds of both sexes following copulation.

Alarm call may be given by males or females in fearful situations (Baptista et al. 1983). Sounds like roo-oo, lasts about 0.8 s.

Phenology

Issuance of perch coo has been studied extensively and quantitatively, and presentation here relates only to that vocalization.

Studies in Wisconsin (Wagner 1952); Tennessee (Kerley 1952); Ohio (Peters 1952); New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia (Duvall and Robbins 1952); Georgia (McGowan 1952, 1953, Lowe 1956), and others identified a “peak season plateau” of perch cooing mid-May to mid-Jun throughout much of species’ range (Dolton 1993). Actually, peak is very jagged, and plateau is misnomer (Olson et al. 1983 [Colorado], Baskett 1993a [review]). In a pen study in Missouri, perch cooing began early Apr, peaked in May and Jun, and virtually stopped in Aug and Sep (Frankel and Baskett 1961).

Daily Pattern Of Vocalizing

During peak plateau period, perch cooing may begin about 0.5 h before sunrise (Jackson 1963); by 1.5 h after sunrise, tapers off. Picks up again in afternoon, but is only about 0.25 as frequent as in morning (Southeast. Assoc. Game and Fish Comm. 1957).

Cooing performances of unmated and mated males differ greatly in numbers and patterns. Unmated males contribute rather steadily throughout 2-h period starting about 30 min before sunrise. Rates of mated males much lower; they coo at highest rates just before sunrise, dropping to a low about 45 min after sunrise.

Places Of Vocalizing

Males sing from exposed tree tops, tree limbs, exposed portions of shrubs, utility poles, utility wires, low ground cover, or exposed soil.

Unmated males range over areas 6–8 ha (Jackson and Baskett 1964) up to 350 ha (Sayre et al. 1980) and may use cooing perches, repeatedly but not exclusively, that are scattered throughout. One unmated male used 12 cooing perches, separated by ≤ 3 km, during 1-mo period in summer (Sayre et al. 1980). Perches were defended only when occupied, and some perches were used simultaneously by different males. Perch-cooing by mated, territorial males was much reduced. Some defense of cooing perches close to nests (Jackson and Baskett 1964).

Females sometimes issue very soft perch coo (see above, Songs and calls).

Repertoire And Delivery Of Songs

No relevant information.

Social Context And Presumed Functions Of Vocalizations

See above, Songs and calls.

Nonvocal Sounds

Whistling flight, especially noticeable at takeoff and landing; irregularly heard when large flights of migrating doves pass overhead. Function unknown but may have some alarm-sounding value at takeoff.

Wing-clapping at takeoff of Flapping-gliding flight (see Behavior: sexual behavior, advertising display); derives from exaggerated wingbeat; similar to that of Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) (Johnston 1992) and thought to be part of advertising display.