Enjoying the gifts of the day with a dog named Dart
There are four species of doves that may be seen in the St. Augustine area: common ground dove, mourning dove, Eurasian collared-dove, and white-winged dove. The Eurasian collared-dove and white-winged dove are not common in the area.
Common ground doves are small birds about the size of a sparrow that are often found feeding on the ground. They also nest on the ground. The feathers on their chest have the pattern of scales. They have short tails, red bills with a dark tip, and short, pink legs. Although smaller than a mourning dove, I see them regularly chase the mourning doves away as they look for fallen seeds under our bird feeder.
Mourning doves are very common. They have a long, pointed tail and forage for seeds on the ground. They are easily attracted to bird feeders. They feed from platform feeders or on the ground. They need a feeder with some room for them to fit. They are pale in color and you often hear their mournful cooing sound.