Eastern Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura carolinensis): Found throughout the eastern United States, Canada, and parts of Mexico. They tend to have a lighter gray coloration compared to the other two subspecies.
Western Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura marginella): Found in the western United States, Canada, and Mexico, extending west to the Pacific Coast. They are typically darker gray or brownish-gray compared to the eastern subspecies.
Mexican Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura mexicana): Found primarily in Mexico and parts of Central America. They have a more brownish or rufous coloration compared to the eastern and western subspecies.
During the spring and summer, mourning doves generally breed and nest throughout their ranges. They typically build their nests in trees, shrubs, and even on human-made structures. As part of their migratory behavior, mourning doves in North America move south during the winter months, seeking warmer climates with sufficient food resources. In the fall, many eastern and western mourning doves migrate south to the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America. Mexican mourning doves, being more tropical in their distribution, tend to have less pronounced migrations or may engage in local movements.
Mourning doves are known to undertake seasonal movements, following resources such as food and nesting sites. However, their migration patterns can be influenced by various factors, including weather conditions, food availability, and habitat changes. Monitoring migration patterns and populations of mourning doves is important for conservation efforts and understanding the dynamics of their distribution and habitat preferences.