Pigeons and Doves

Pigeons and doves have three song types, one used as an advertising song, the perch-coo, one at the nest site, the nest-coo, and one used in display to a mate or interloper, the bow-coo. Depending on the species, the three coo types may be all different, or a single coo type may serve more than one function. In the Mourning Dove, the perch-coo and bow-coo are the same, and in the Rock Pigeon the perch-coo and the nest-coo are the same.


Mourning Dove perch-coo (July, ME). This also serves as the bow-coo.











nest-coo (Mar, PA).












Mourning Doves make a whistling noise when flushed or, as in this case, sometimes during short flights (Downy Woodpecker tapping, Jan, PA).












Two flushed birds, one took off without whistling, the second with whistling. The whistle is thought to be used as a form of communication, perhaps alarm in this case, but it also made in non-threatening situations, as in the previous recording (Jan, PA).


























Single call by Mourning Dove landing on a feeder (Jan, PA).














Rock Pigeon perch or nest-coo (Aug, CO).












Rock Pigeon bow-coo and wing flap (July, CO).