The mourning dove is a medium-sized bird found throughout North America that belongs to the dove family Columbidae. With its long, tapered tail, small head and plump body, the mourning dove is one of the most familiar and widespread birds across the United States. The mourning dove measures between 23–34 cm (9–13 in) in length, spans 38–45 cm (15–18 in) across the wings and weighs between 88–170 g (3.1–6.0 oz). Its size is often described as being similar to or the same size as a pigeon. When looking at birds of prey, or raptors, that are found in the Americas, there is one species that is comparable in size to the mourning dove – the American kestrel.
The American kestrel (Falco sparverius) is a small falcon sometimes known colloquially as the sparrow hawk. It is the smallest and most common falcon in North America. The American kestrel measures between 23–30 cm (9–12 in) in length, with a wingspan ranging from 51–61 cm (20–24 in). Its weight can vary between 86-165 g (3.0-5.8 oz), putting it in almost the exact same size range as a mourning dove. With its compact body shape, long pointed wings and medium-length tail, the American kestrel bears a strong resemblance to other larger falcons, just on a smaller scale. When perched, it typically has an upright posture and rapid head movements as it scans the environment for prey. The American kestrel can be found across the Americas in a variety of open and semi-open habitats such as meadows, grasslands, savannas, deserts, parks and urban areas. Its small size allows it to utilize cavities in trees, crevices in rocks and buildings, and nest boxes for breeding. So in terms of dimensions and weight, the American kestrel is essentially the same size as a mourning dove, making it the closest match among raptors found in the Americas.
Description of the Mourning Dove
The mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) is a medium-sized, slender dove approximately the size of a rock pigeon. Some key features include:
- Length: 23–34 cm (9–13 in)
- Wingspan: 38–45 cm (15–18 in)
- Weight: 88–170 g (3.1–6.0 oz)
- Slim body, small head, long tapered tail
- Smoky gray-brown overall plumage
- Black spots on wings
- White edges on tail feathers
The mourning dove gets its name from its soft, plaintive cooing vocalizations which sound like mournful laments. It is often seen perched on telephone wires along roadsides or foraging for seeds on the ground in open spaces. Mourning doves are a migratory species, breeding in North America and wintering in the southern United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. They are prolific breeders, allowing them to exploit diverse habitats across their range. Mourning doves play an important ecological role, dispersing seeds through their droppings as they feed on the ground. Their average lifespan in the wild is 1-2 years. Overall, the mourning dove is an abundant, familiar bird species recognized by birders and non-birders alike across the United States.
Size Comparison with Other Birds
To get a better sense of the mourning dove’s size, here is a comparison with some other common bird species:
Bird Species | Total Length | Wingspan | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
Mourning Dove | 23–34 cm | 38–45 cm | 88–170 g |
Rock Pigeon | 28–35 cm | 62–72 cm | 238–380 g |
American Robin | 25–28 cm | 36–41 cm | 77–96 g |
Blue Jay | 22–30 cm | 34–43 cm | 70–100 g |
As the table shows, the mourning dove is similar in length to an American robin, but slimmer in build. It’s slightly smaller than a rock pigeon in all dimensions. The mourning dove’s delicate profile allows it to move swiftly and blend into its habitat. When taking size, proportions and behavior into account, the mourning dove lives up to its name as a medium-small dove species well-suited for life in the open.
Description of the American Kestrel
The American kestrel (Falco sparverius) is North America’s smallest and most abundant falcon. Some key features include:
- Length: 23–30 cm (9–12 in)
- Wingspan: 51–61 cm (20–24 in)
- Weight: 86–165 g (3.0–5.8 oz)
- Compact, falcon-like physique with long wings and tail
- Coloration varies by sex – males have blue-gray wings, females have reddish wings
- Black vertical “mustache” stripes on white face
- Long-legged with yellow talons
- Flaps wings rapidly while hovering in mid-air
Despite its small stature, the American kestrel exhibits classic features of raptors including sharply hooked beaks, strong feet and claws, and exceptional eyesight. It can often be spotted perched on wires, poles or branches scanning for prey such as insects, small mammals, reptiles and birds. Itsswift movements and aerobatic hunting techniques make the kestrel a joy to observe. While it can thrive in natural areas, the kestrel has successfully adapted to human-altered environments. It nests in tree cavities as well as artificial sites like building crevices and nest boxes. The American kestrel is found year-round throughout the Americas in open and semi-open regions. Though small, it is an iconic little raptor.
Size Comparison with Other Raptors
Here is how the American kestrel compares in size to some other North American raptors:
Raptor Species | Total Length | Wingspan | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
American Kestrel | 23–30 cm | 51–61 cm | 86–165 g |
Red-tailed Hawk | 52–60 cm | 117–137 cm | 790–1490 g |
Peregrine Falcon | 36–49 cm | 80–120 cm | 569–1300 g |
Bald Eagle | 70–102 cm | 182–244 cm | 3000–6000 g |
The table highlights the American kestrel’s diminutive stature compared to larger birds of prey. The kestrel is 5-6 times smaller than a red-tailed hawk and nearly 10 times lighter than a bald eagle. The kestrel’s petite proportions allow it to hunt smaller prey like insects, lizards and mice. Despite its size, the American kestrel is a fierce little predator and occupies an important niche in the raptor community.
Comparison between Mourning Dove and American Kestrel
When looking at length, wingspan and weight, the mourning dove and American kestrel are remarkably similar in size:
Mourning Dove | American Kestrel | |
---|---|---|
Length | 23–34 cm | 23–30 cm |
Wingspan | 38–45 cm | 51–61 cm |
Weight | 88–170 g | 86–165 g |
The mourning dove is on the larger end of the kestrel’s size range, but overall the two species occupy the same dimensional space. In terms of proportions, the mourning dove is a little stockier and rounded compared to the kestrel’s sleek, raptor-like build. But their compact sizes distinguish them from many other North American bird species.
Despite being close matches size-wise, the mourning dove and American kestrel exhibit very different behavior and serve different ecological roles:
- The mourning dove is a placid, ground-dwelling herbivore that eats seeds and grains.
- The kestrel is an aggressive predator that uses speed and agility to hunt other animals.
- Doves are weak fliers with a fast, darting flight pattern.
- Kestrels are adept fliers capable of hovering in place.
- Doves have slender, tapered bodies for filtering through vegetation.
- Kestrels have broad wings and long tails giving them maneuverability.
- Doves have small thin beaks for eating seeds.
- Kestrels have hooked raptor beaks for tearing flesh.
So while they may look similar on paper due to their size, the mourning dove and American kestrel behave in very distinct ways suited to their respective lifestyles. Nevertheless, their analogous dimensions make the kestrel a good answer to the question of which American raptor matches the size of a mourning dove.
Habitats and Range
Both the mourning dove and American kestrel occupy a wide range and diverse assortment of habitats across the Americas.
Mourning Dove Habitats
Mourning doves live in a variety of open and edge habitats including:
- Grasslands
- Agricultural areas
- Rural backyards
- Deserts
- Brushy fields
- Open woodlands
They thrive anywhere there is a mixture of ground cover for nesting and exposed areas for feeding on seeds. Mourning doves prefer lower elevations but can inhabit mountains up to 10,000 feet in elevation. They are absent from only the extreme northern parts of Alaska and Canada. Their breeding range spans southern Canada, all 48 contiguous states, Mexico and Central America. Northern populations migrate southward in winter while southern populations are year-round residents.
American Kestrel Habitats
American kestrels utilize a mosaic of habitat types including:
- Grasslands
- Meadows
- Fields
- Deserts
- Forest openings
- Parks
- Rural and urban areas
They can thrive in natural and human-modified landscapes as long as there are open areas for hunting and cavities for nesting. The kestrel’s range covers the entire North American continent down to South America, and it is found as far north as Alaska and northern Canada. The northernmost populations migrate south for the winter, but kestrels are year-round residents across much of their range. They are absent only from dense forest regions.
Conclusion
In summary, the American kestrel is very close in size to the mourning dove, making it the best match among North American raptors. The kestrel ranges from 23-30 cm in length with a 51-61 cm wingspan and weighs 86-165 g. The mourning dove is 23-34 cm long with a 38-45 cm wingspan and weighs 88-170 g. Their compact dimensions are remarkably similar. However, they use their small size in different ways – the mourning dove for ground foraging and the kestrel for aerial hunting. Both species occupy diverse habitats across the Americas. So if you come across a petite raptor the size of a mourning dove in North America there’s a good chance it’s an American kestrel.