The mourning dove probably gets its name from its haunting "hoo, hoo, hoo" call. These birds are found through all but far northeastern Minnesota on farms, roadsides, woodlands, and small towns.
Mourning doves are blue-gray birds about the size of a robin. They have small heads, large breasts, and a pointed tail.
Adult mourning doves are about 12 inches long.
They are bluish gray with a lighter, brownish breast, and a black spot near the eye. Males have iridescent feathers on their neck. When they fly you might notice that the tail has a white tip.
Mourning doves make a soft cooing sound that some people confuse with the hooting of an owl.
