mourning dove

mourning dove
a dove, Zenaidura macroura, of North America, noted for its plaintive cooing.
[1825-35, Amer.]

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Species (Zenaida macroura) of pigeon (family Columbidae), the common wild pigeon of North America.

They have long, pointed tails, and the sides of the neck are violet and pink. Their name comes from their call's haunting, mournful tone. Mourning doves are migratory; the northernmost populations migrate the farthest south. They are popular game birds. See also dove.

Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura)

Alvin E. Staffan
The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers

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▪ bird
 (Zenaida macroura), a member of the pigeon order Columbiformes, the common wild pigeon of North America having a long pointed tail and violet and pink on the sides of the neck. This game bird may live up to 16 years in captivity; however, most mourning doves live only 4 or 5 years in the wild. First-year mortality is about 80 percent. These doves migrate south in the winter; the most northward-living ones migrate the farthest south.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Mourning Dove — Conservation status Least Concern (IU …   Wikipedia

  • Mourning dove — Mourning Mourn ing, a. 1. Grieving; sorrowing; lamenting. [1913 Webster] 2. Employed to express sorrow or grief; worn or used as appropriate to the condition of one bereaved or sorrowing; as, mourning garments; a mourning ring; a mourning pin,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Mourning dove — Dove Dove (d[u^]v), n. [OE. dove, duve, douve, AS. d[=u]fe; akin to OS. d[=u]ba, D. duif, OHG. t[=u]ba, G. taube, Icel. d[=u]fa, Sw. dufva, Dan. due, Goth. d[=u]b[=o]; perh. from the root of E. dive.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) A pigeon of the genus {Columba} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mourning dove — ☆ mourning dove n. a gray wild dove (Zenaida macroura) of the U.S.: so called because its cooing sounds mournful …   English World dictionary

  • mourning dove — noun A grey coloured dove, Zenaida macroura, that has a mournful call, native to North America Syn: American mourning dove, Carolina pigeon, Carolina turtledove …   Wiktionary

  • Mourning Dove (author) — Mourning Dove was a Native American author and best known for her 1927 novel mixed blood ranch woman on the Flathead Indian Reservation. The novel is one of the first written by a Native American[1] woman and one of few early Native American… …   Wikipedia

  • mourning dove — mourn′ing dove n. orn a dove, Zenaida (Zenaidura) macroura, of North America, noted for its plaintive cooing • Etymology: 1825–35, amer …   From formal English to slang

  • mourning dove — noun wild dove of the United States having a mournful call • Syn: ↑Zenaidura macroura • Hypernyms: ↑dove • Member Holonyms: ↑Zenaidura, ↑genus Zenaidura …   Useful english dictionary

  • mourning dove — noun Date: 1833 an American dove (Zenaida macroura) with a pointed tail and a plaintive coo …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • mourning dove — n. wild North American dove with a plaintive mournful call …   English contemporary dictionary

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