***Federal - MBTA***

    The Mourning Dove is one of the most recognized of New York's birds.  They are large, common, and they frequent bird feeders.  They have one of the prettiest of all songs in the bird kingdom, a low, somber whistle rising in pitch, and followed by three low monotone notes.  The song is often described as mournful (where the dove gets it's name) and once learned it is not easily forgotten.  Mourning Doves feed on grains and seeds and is considered a pest by many farmers.  Although a hardy bird and one of our resident winter birds, Mourning Dove numbers fall after a strong winter, but soon recover.  The young are fed "pigeon milk"- a mix of partially digested food and other enzymes that it is believed aid in their growth.  Although for the most part both sexes look alike, males are brighter and larger than females and show more iridescence in the feathers on the side of the neck.  These characters are most pronounced in spring.