# Do rock doves and mournng doves ever associate?



## TitanicWreck (Jun 12, 2003)

Im a city dweller, and I like pigeons- On my way to work, the same peppered white colored pigeon is there when i get off the train, and I always feed him (and his friends) shelled sunflower seeds, which they seem to enjoy....

I have noticed, the city pigeons (rock doves) are very social with one another.....

Im left to wonder- we have some mourning doves in my area too, but i have never seen rock doves and mouring doves in the same group.
Im left to wonder- what would happen if they were put together?
Can rock doves and mouring doves coexist in pece, or would they attack each other?
Can they interbreed?


Thanks

[This message has been edited by TitanicWreck (edited May 23, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by TitanicWreck (edited May 23, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by TitanicWreck (edited May 23, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by TitanicWreck (edited May 23, 2004).]


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## dano7 (Feb 10, 2004)

Mournimg doves won't associate with pigeons--mourning doves are too sensitive and solitary to associate with roudy pigeons.

If you put seeds out for pigeons and doves, the doves will tip toe around the edges and never go into a crowd of pigeons - smart move!!

I, too, would like to know if they interbreed. In some ways scientists say they are the same species even though they are also vastly different. I hope someone knows the answer.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Hello TitanicWreck, Welcome to pigeons.com
Many thanks for taking the time to feed some of our fine feathered friends.


"Mourning doves won't associate with pigeons--mourning doves are too sensitive and solitary to associate with roudy pigeons."

I have to disagree Dano.
My backyard buddies consist of 60+ pigeons, at least as many inca doves, several mourning doves & a handfull of ducks. 
I toss the seed in one area of the backyard & they all eat together. 
Perhaps they know this is a 'feather friendly' yard & I won't put up with any nonesense. 
Just this morning I send 5 ducks back to the lake without any breakfast because they couldn't mind their manners around the female that came in to eat. 

"I, too, would like to know if they interbreed."

From what I recall, I don't believe pigeons & doves are interbred as the pigeons are so much larger.

Cindy


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## KIPPY (Dec 18, 2003)

pigeons, morning doves and inca doves hangout together in my backyard. at one time i use to have a lot of blackbirds but most have seemed to move on. finches and sparrows have their own hanging feeder.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

"pigeons, morning doves and inca doves hangout together in my backyard."

LOL. I was telling John that I have the 'fattest' little inca doves. Now I know why. The whole gang flies back & forth from my yard to yours Kim.

Cindy


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Though I doubt very much that doves and pigeons in the wild would breed, there have been hybrid pigeon-doves domestically bred:

http://www.concannon.net/wilmer/Wilmer's%20WebPage/pigeon_dove_hybrids.htm 


Terry



[This message has been edited by TAWhatley (edited May 23, 2004).]


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## dano7 (Feb 10, 2004)

Hi Cynthia,

Glad to hear they can get along because I would like to have doves at some point. You run a tight dining room, and it would be fun to see feeding time at your place. I have a place where pigeons, geese and seagulls eat at the same place and time but not "together" by any stretch of the imagination.

My white king is a big boy and his mate is about a 320 gram wilder blue bar. By these proportions a 300 gram male pigeon could match up with a dove hen, or a better match would be male dove who would be a comfortable load for any pigeon hen lol. So I wonder if they will just won't get that sociable or is there some physical incompatibility. 

The passenger pigeon is an interesting body type - the lines of a dove but 20 inches tall. This was a dove on steroids that was said to cruise 60 MPH for some distance.


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## dano7 (Feb 10, 2004)

Hi Terry,

thanks for those pictures. the lines on those hybrids are gorgeous.


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

In the mornings when I feed, it is all pigeons...if I put peanuts in the shell out for the squirrels, sometimes I get a bluejay swoop in to grap one, also cardinals seem to go for the peanuts too. They do not eat with the pigeons at all.

In the late afternoon, if I put a little more seed out for the dozen or so afternoon pigeon visiters, I will sometimes get three pairs of mourning doves, a couple of red wing blackbirds, and a few sparrows. They all eat together w/o bothering each other, but after they are done and relaxing, each type of bird tends to hang out with it's own kind. The doves, in particular, are always in pairs.


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## alea (Jan 20, 2004)

I get all kinds of birds, and one mourning dove pair just because I would sweep the scatterred pigeon seed through the little gap under my wall and off my patio.
Now that I don't feed such an excess (and have less mess) I throw a handful out there for all the stragglers lol. It gives Bert and Ali something to look at while I'm at work. As I speak, they are both laying down with full bellies and looking out at the world.


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## MartianSky (May 6, 2004)

Hello! 
I put a mix of pigeon feed and safflower seed out(which I hear mourning doves like)in the backyard and get both doves and pigeons at the same time. The doves will also feed right alongside of sparrows and other birds.


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

We never see the two together here--pigeons & mourning doves--in our Milwaukee suburb. But that's here.

Yesterday, as I washed the cars, a handsome wild duck couple used the bath and indulged the seed mix, while mourning doves did the same, nearby.

It's sooo funny; the male mallard duck REALLY hates the weed whacker! He sure does cuss when I fire that up!









I'm not "allowed" to do anything outside near sunset, as the gang visits and stokes up for the night...









Also, our flying squirrel was back in March.

--Ray


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## ilovemydragon (May 19, 2004)

I see pigeons and mourning doves together all the time under my bird feeder (collecting what fell)..I think they kind of got used to eachother = )


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