March 20/11

Well, we can tell spring is coming to Ontario because of all the birds in the yard.  We have had at least one to two pairs of mourning doves for at least the past 10 years.  Out of the many birds we have, some of them who can be very noisy, I love the cooing noise the mourning dove makes.  I just took this picture a few moments ago...
Wilkipedia gave me the following information on this lovely bird.  "The Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is a member of the dove family (Columbidae). The bird is also called the Western Turtle Dove or the American Mourning Dove or Rain Dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds. It is also the leading gamebird, with up to 70 million birds shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and for meat. Its ability to sustain its population under such pressure stems from its prolific breeding: in warm areas, one pair may raise up to six broods a year. Its plaintive woo-oo-oo-oo call gives the bird its name. The wings can make an unusual whistling sound upon take-off and landing, and the bird is a strong flier, capable of speeds up to 88 km/h (55 mph)."  I had no idea they were eaten... :((

Mourning Dove