Birds might as well be people:
- Some are small, some are large
- Some can’t sit still, some repose as a core competence
- Some like to hide in bushes, some like to display themselves on pillars
OK, maybe not that last one exactly.
These mourning doves are everywhere in this part of Arizona: too many wheres, really, given their gets-on-your-nerves bloody endless cooing.
But sometimes one cooperates in a photo shoot, redeeming itself somewhat.
In Africa, we learned the words to some dove calls. E.g., “I am… a red-eyed-dove. I am… a red-eyed-dove…” Too bad they didn’t have a bigger vocabulary.
Jim T
Jim T – I expect there’s some demonic mnemonic for the mourning dove, too. But yes, it’s a fiendishly limited repertoire.
The ‘gets-on-your-nerves bloody endless cooing’ of “I am a grey dove sitting on the wire” seems to be everywhere in the part of Arizona that I frequent as well. Except when the hawks come by. Then it’s eerily quiet.
… sorry: I mixed my quotation marks. Won’t happen again.
Marion – I should hope not. 🙂
Marion – I wonder if any birds have learned to throw their voices, thereby throwing hawks and such off the path to lunch.
Isabel – there are mourning doves all over the place in Egypt as well. Now every time I hear that endless cooing it reminds me of waking up in Ismailia to the sound of that damned cooing.
After the morning doves, the donkeys started braying – so it was impossible to sleep in past sun rise – even if you wanted to.
John – Well, something to be grateful for: no donkeys in suburban Arizona.
Are there any evening doves?
Ian – Not that I know of. There are, however, laughing gulls, which at least act as an emotional counterweight. Sometimes their call/voice just sounds raucous; sometimes it’s infectious.
If you believe this person, some birds can throw their voices. (Warning white text on black background very hard on the eyes)
http://www.birdingisfun.com/2011/01/bird-ventriloquism.html
PS: Nice catch light in the dove’s eye
Jim R – Thanks! If I understand her, she’s saying it can be hard for humans to locate the origin of the sound – maybe not so much for other birds. And you’re right – that text combination is hard on the eyes.