This week for Birds of Georgetown, GM is exploring the Columbidae family of birds, which are better known as doves and pigeons.
In Georgetown, that almost entirely boils down to two species: the mourning dove and the rock pigeon.
The mourning dove, seen above, is a lovely bird. It can be recognized by its cloudy golden/gray plumage. But you often hear it before you see it. They have a call that is easily recognizable; you’ve probably heard it thousands of times before. Here’s a sample:
Mourning doves also make a lovely whistling sound when they take flight:
Mourning doves live in DC all year round. Although GM did once find a dead mourning dove in his garden during a particularly cold winter week. (Lifting a bird is an odd sensation. They are remarkably light.)
All in all, mourning doves are a lovely bird to have around, which is a lot more than we can say about their cousins, the rock pigeon. Continue reading






















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