# Where to get Mourning doves



## Sir Coos

Hi I'm new

I've wanted to get a pet mourning dove for a while. They remind me of me- big and kind of dumb. However, finding any has been a problem. Where would one look to get a mourning dove for a pet? I assume you don't chase them around outside with a net.


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## Maggie-NC

Hi Sir Coos - welcome to the forum.

Mourning doves are a protected species and federal law prohibits keeping any protected bird in captivity. Many people get beautiful ringneck and white doves from pet stores and they make wonderful pets. I have a friend with over 50 and they are very sweet. Some of them make a laughing sound that is very entertaining.

Several of our members have these types of doves as pets and hopefully they will be along to share moe info about them.


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## Sir Coos

Conservation? Really? According to wikipedia, mourning doves are fairly plentiful and hunted often. I've read a lot of anecdotes of people who have mourning doves as pets. I didn't think they were protected in any sense


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## flitsnowzoom

Mourning doves are protected under the federal migratory bird acts among other state and federal laws. Doves are hunted as are ducks, geese, and upland birds, however there are very specific "seasons" for hunting them and there are limits to the number of birds one can take. Many of the laws were first enacted to protect birds from the fashion trade as feathers were highly sought after for ladies' attire.


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## Sir Coos

Oh, okay. Makes sense

You say federal and state so I assume it's a US based thing. I am a Canadian resident; would I still be unable to get a mourning dove as a pet or am I better off just watching them wobble around in the park?


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## flitsnowzoom

The US, Canada, and Mexico all have very similar laws to help the migratory bird populations. You might want to search on Environment Canada web site or your province government web sites in the equivalent to the US state governments' Departments of Wildlife divisions to see if you can find out more. 
They are a lot of fun to watch.


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## pigeonmama

Sir Coos,
If you like Mourning doves, you'll like the ring necks just as much, and they are legal to keep as pets. I have a pair, Cookie and Brutus, who are waiting for their first baby to finish hatching. Baby's name is Crumpet.
Daryl


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## BirdDogg10

Here's a couple sites that can probably help you find a pet dove

http://www.petfinder.org

http://www.gotpetsonline.com

http://www.eggbid.com

http://www.livedeal.com

my friend in LA had a pair of doves, they're pretty quiet for the most part. Ringneck, diamond and white doves are the most common ones that are kept as pets.


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## amoonswirl

Hello Sir Coos,
I have two male ringneck doves, and they make a lovely cooing sound that is very similar to the sound of wild mourning doves. In fact, one of them even has a color so much like a mourning dove that my visitors often think that's what he is. Since ringnecks are domesticated birds, they make better pets than any wild species would. I would highly recommend keeping ringnecks if you are interested in doves - I've found mine to be quite entertaining!

Below is a link to a site where you may find a lot more information on ringnecks and other types of domesticated doves. There are even breeders listed who have birds for sale - that's how I found my doves:
http://dovepage.com/

(p.s. "Tangerine" and "Wild Type" colored ringnecks look a lot like mourning doves - you can see photos of all colors at the dovepage)


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## Sir Coos

thanks for all the help, I think I'll be getting a tangerine dove instead. 

I just really like the cooing sounds mourning doves make, so I bought a mourning dove plush toy from Wild Republic and it makes its coo when you squeeze it!


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## naturegirl

Ummm.... Mourning Doves are a Federally protected bird and you can't own them as pets. Sorry


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