Birds of North Carolina
their Distribution and Abundance
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
COLUMBIDAE Members:
General Comments
This is arguably one of most widespread and common birds in the state, being found from the coast to the mountains, though scarce at higher elevations. Hundreds of thousands of Mourning Doves are harvested annually by North Carolina hunters, yet the population seems to have been reasonably stable/constant for many decades. The species occupies about as many habitats as any bird in the state -- residential areas, towns, farms, agricultural areas, open woods, and woodland edges are many of its haunts. It even occurs inside forests, to some extent, but mostly avoids marshes, as well as high elevation areas.
Breeding Status
Breeder
NC BRC List
The species' status on the List of Bird Species of North Carolina: either Definitive, Provisional, or Extinct, as administered by the NC Bird Records Committee. The Provisional List contains species for which there are less than three accepted sight (i.e., non-documented) records. Species of unaccepted origin are not included on the List of Bird Species of North Carolina.
Definitive
State Status
none
U.S. Status
Definitive
State Rank
S5B,S5N
Global Rank
G5
Coastal Plain
Permanent resident, perhaps with some migratory movements. Common to abundant throughout, even on barrier islands. Peak counts:
Piedmont
Permanent resident, perhaps with some migratory movements. Very common to abundant throughout. Peak counts:
Mountain
Permanent resident, with migratory movements. Common to very common at lower and middle elevations in the warmer months; common in winter in the lower elevations (below 2,500 feet), but mostly only uncommon to fairly common in winter from 2,500 - 3,500 feet. Not numerous above 3,500 feet in the breeding season, and scarce above that elevation in winter. Peak counts:
Finding Tips
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None needed.