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Rebecca Panetta

Dacula, GA, United States

Description

Saw this Mourning dove with a white tail during my count days. The white tail was easily seen among the other gray tails of the flock.

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Species

Mourning Dove With White Tail

104 replies on “Mourning dove with white tail”

Henry McCarter says:

Saw a white tailed mourning dove with other mourning doves beneath a feeder in Pine Island, NY January 14, 2015

Leslie Jewett says:

Some of the doves I feed in Washington, DC have white tips on their tails.

Gayle says:

Have 2 that are feeding on the ground here in South Tex. Harlingen. Have never seen them here before.

Grace says:

I amlooking right now at 2 morning doves with white ti ps at the end of their tails. Tennessee .

myra lane says:

White tail dove sighted ground feeding in Groton, Ma 2/21/2016

J.Kincaid says:

Just photographed one in Vermont. 3/1/2016

Heather Zimmerman says:

Dove with large white area on top of tail has been visiting our feeder for the past month or so. Just saw him again today.

Peggy Lafon says:

Saw one under feeder in Proctorville, Oh 8/25/16

Scott Stafford says:

I just saw one under my feeder in Washington, DC, 8/30/2016. http://imgur.com/a/zOL1R

Perry Whitley says:

I just saw two white tailed mourning doves under my bird feeders in Exmore, Virginia.

Craig Kisro says:

Just saw one today for the first time with a group of other Mourning Doves feeding on my table. Granada Hills, CA.

Tracie Brown says:

Just saw one for the first time in my back yard in Manchester TN.

Julie says:

I had one on the ground in Sellersburg, IN this morning feeding with other Turtle Doves. It seemed a little aggressive towards the other doves, but didn’t bother other species.

Lee Ann says:

I have been seeing a couple white tail doves with the group of mourning doves that hang out around our home in Walkersville WV

Barbara says:

Saw one, today (April 3, 2017) in Troy, New York.

Bev says:

I saw one this afternoon at my feeders. Watertown, CT.

Melissa Kelly says:

One in Finland, PA this morning.

Mitzi says:

I have one at my feeder in Wilson, NC his morning. Chunkier, darker, white tail. Never see one before.

lee davis says:

Saw first time white tail in backyard feeding on the ground.
Worthington Ohio

Jim & Cindy Chaffin says:

We saw one this morning feeding in Hampton, VA.

Jean Slolfield says:

One st my feeder in Friendsville, TM

Marcia tuerk says:

We have one under the bird feeder here in Eugene,OR today for first time

Jacque says:

I’ve watched my backyard birds near Charleston WV for a few years. My thought is that there juveniles when their tails are still white. Tail hasn’t completely grown.

Mozelle Emerson says:

Just saw three around the feeders in Texas. Love to watch them.

Cathy runyan says:

Saw are first white tipped tail turtle five yesterday, alsome

S bolen says:

I a white-tipped tail mourning dove feeding on ground by bird feeders March 11th 2018 Neenah Wisconsin

C charles says:

Just saw the first white tail dove at my ground feeder. Is this common for this area? Grand Lake around Langley Oklahoma.

Carrie Steele says:

I have just seen a pure cream colored morning dove with the other doves. Has any one ever seen one. Wil try to get a better picture

Karen Ribeiro says:

I have a picture of a white tailed dove that hangs out behind our house with the other mourning doves. This was taken yesterday 4/18/18 in Oakton, Virginia.

Carolyn says:

We have one white tail dove hanging out around our feeders in Cash Texas

Chrissy says:

I just saw one in Gainesville, FL.

Larry says:

Saw what I think is a mourning dove eating mulberries on the ground at a golf course in Fort Wayne. He had an entirely white tail and head. He was not a bit afraid of us. He was eating berries as fast as he could!

Raven says:

Been feeding birds in NW Montana for 15 years, we have many mourning doves. Today I saw the first one with a white tipped tail.

Joyce says:

2 white tailed mourning doves in my side yard at my feeders. I get many doves but this is the first time noticed the white tipped tails. Manchester, NH

The Girls says:

Just had our first this weekend. Lemon Grove (San Diego area) CA.

R A says:

Saw white tip dove this morning.
Church hill Tennessee

Cheryl says:

Have a white tip tail dove at our feeder in, Wichita KS

sandra eppler says:

just had three white tail feeding with others

Anne Smith says:

I saw a white tip tail dove today, feeding with other grey mourning doves.

one white tail tip dove on ground feeding today, december 9,2018. cold, 24 degrees

Pat says:

a white tail dove is eating bird food with many other doves in our backyard 12-10-18 Chelsea, Alabama first one for me 🙂

Wayne says:

I just saw one for the first time In 29 Yrs New Ellenton SC.

Sarah says:

I have two mourning doves white tipped tails
in my backyard. First time Dec. 29 th 2018
Fairport NY

Paula says:

We are seeing white tip of tail dove around our feeder. Albany, Ga. feb, 2019

donna miller says:

Feb 1 2019
I have one at my feeder this morning.

donna miller says:

Feb 1 2019 8:30 am
I have one at my feeder this morning.
Jefferson City Tn

Nathan Banks says:

Photographed (on Feb. 15, 2019) a white tailed individual among a flock of Mourning doves at Royal, Arkansas. First I’ve ever encountered.

Nathan says:

Moved to Royal, Arkansas in December, 2018, and quickly put up a feeder. We have a regular flock of Mourning doves. One stands out because about 25% of the end of its tail is white.

JJ says:

We have one in Milmont Park, Pa

Andrea Brannen says:

We have one in Alpharetta, GA. He also looks a little larger than the other mourning doves.

Syndi brooks says:

One here today at my feeder in NC.

Margaret says:

Saw a mourning dove with white tipped tail eating bird seed on my patio in the backyard. I am in Woodland, CA. 1st time I have seen one.

George Holmes says:

We have a dove in our yard, which is ,larger than the morning doves, It is a slightly pink, tan color, breast is a bit darker beige than it’s wing both breast and wings have a slightly pink color to the tan. Today I saw it stretch wings and tail….the tail, at least on the bottom, the part I saw, the last inch or so of the tail is very black. Anybody else seen one, We are in western North Carolina, Cullowhee.

D Perkins says:

I just saw a white tail (on the middle to the tip of the tail) for the very first time and I get a lot of them feeding everyday. Does anyone know if this is normal???

Holly Faulkner, Project Assistant says:

Hi D, White feathers are perfectly normal; it usually signifies a lack of pigment, whether it’s genetic or otherwise. Check out our Color Variants webpage to learn more about why some birds grow white feathers.

Wayne Trepanier says:

We had a Dove here today with a bright white tip on the tail. His body was much darker than the other doves and spent most of his time harassing the other ones.

Lillian Ferretti says:

Saw a white tailed dove several times this week in my yard and at bird bath.

Cornwall on Hudson, NY
September, 2019

Donna Briggs says:

Saw a small flock of six grey morning doves with white tips on their tails this week on the walls around the back yard and on the small trees in the neighbor’s yard.
Glendale, AZ (NW Phoenix valley)
December 31, 2019

Bunk Childress says:

I have two white tailed doves that visit my feeder in Delta, PA. 1/18/20

One white tailed dove was just spotted in my backyard with 3 other doves this morning. This is a first for my bird viewing.

William Potter says:

Saw one for the first time at our feeder in Eastern North Carolina

Jacque says:

I’ve been watching one at my feeders the last few days in Naples, FL. The tail feathers are the purest of white! Seems to have some white under the wings, as well. So interesting!

Celeste says:

I seen a white tailed Morning Dove this Morning. Very interesting

Seen my first ever white tail dove in Angier, N.C.

Nancy Ferguson says:

We had a dove darker then most with white tail feathers ground feeding today. First sighting here in Coastal, GA

Sue says:

Saw one ground feeding in Merrimac, MA today.

Denise says:

Saw one for the first time at my neighbors feeder yesterday in Slidell Louisiana. Smallest dove I’ve ever seen, light purplish body with bright white long tail feathers.

James Roland says:

August, 2020
We have a pair that come to our bird feeder along with a pair of white winged doves in Plano Tx.

Michael Chauss says:

We have had one white tailed dove visiting our feeders and bird baths regularly this year. It’s the first time we’ve seen this one.

Richard says:

August 20, 2020
one at my feeder white tail feathers 30 miles north of Green Bay, Wisconsin. I did take a picture.

Amy Gifford says:

Looking at one right now at my bird feeder here in Tucson AZ

Two white-tailed mourning doves below our niger feeder. First time seeing white tails.
Sunnyvale, CA

Jeanne Handy says:

One white-tailed mourning dove at feeder this morning in Springfield, IL. First time seeing one.

Doris Gatton says:

I have one in Coal Valley Illinois

Bob Barrett says:

One at the feeder in Westfield, Wi.

Amy Kirk says:

One at a feeder in Phoenixville Pa!

Stephanie says:

We have one under our feeder right now. Waterdown Ontario

Tony says:

Just saw one for the first time in my life, it’s currently happily enjoying lunch with a few non white tailed mourning doves. Was able to take a picture.

02 OCT 2020
Burrilville Rhode Island

Carol says:

I just had one at my feeder with white tip tail

Carol says:

I just had one at my feeder with white tip tail.

Charlotte Day says:

Just noticed several doves with one white tail feather under our feeder.

Jane says:

I just saw one with a white tail at my feeder, not just feather tips but solid white tail feathers on top of tail

John Repasy says:

Just watching a morning dove with a white tail, but the top of its head is light grey blue. I have noticed a dove with a white tail off and on all winter, but this is the first that I’ve noticed to top of its head being a different colour. I live in Woodstock Ontario Canada.

Maggie says:

Lots of doves here for 20 yrs but this morning I spotted only one with pure white tail feather. Rocklin Ca
Is this significant of anything?

Holly Faulkner, Project Assistant says:

Hi Maggie, you can learn more about unusual white markings in birds here.

Tammi says:

We have had one of these around the past month. It’s beautiful! I would say it has 2” of white showing. Minnesota May 2021.

Darlene Dolan says:

We have one Whiite Tailed Mourning Dove so far. Tallmadge, OH. May 26, 2021. Do some carry a gene factor for white tails, or is it some kind of mutation?

Holly Grant, Project Assistant says:

Hi Darlene, white feathers usually result from either a run-in with a predator, or a form of leucism. You can learn more about color abnormalities on our webpage here.

Judy L Storey says:

We have seen at least four white tailed Doves at our feeders in Bellevue Tennessee. They are beautiful.

Linda Snyder says:

Hi – Westlake Village, CA; we’re feeding one gray mourning dove with a very short, white-tipped tail and a narrow front white “chin strap.” It is part of a small flock of regular morning doves that possess longer tails and no white chin strap. We also witnessed a single Ringed-necked dove check out our flock as they fed. It seemed less than impressed, flew away, and we have not seen it since.

Brandi says:

We had one on Thanksgiving and it hasn’t left. First time I’ve ever seen one. Shoals Indiana.

Regina says:

Watching one right now under my feeder. It’s fiesty!

Gregory Holster says:

White tail mourning dove, Harwich MA

Ann Kosinski says:

White tailed Mourning dove in backyard in Ventura, CA.

Rita Murphy says:

Hi… I’m Rita from Cape Breton, NS, Canada
I’ve been observing a mourning dove amidst a flock of regular visitors to my feeder, which has white tipped feathers all over its body, but not specifically on its tail feathers.
Can’t find anything other than white tail feathers in my searches online… I have pics but not sure if they can be uploaded here. Happy Spring Fellow Bird Lovers!…

Heidi Faulkner, Project Assistant says:

Hi Rita, Thank you for reaching out! Leucism refers to an abnormality in the deposition of pigment in feathers. There is some disagreement as to whether the condition is genetic or caused by pigment cells that were damaged during development. Whatever the cause, the condition can result in a reduction in all types of pigment, causing pale or muted colors on the entire bird. Or the condition can cause irregular patches of white, and birds with these white patches are sometimes described as “pied” or “piebald.” You can learn more about plummage variations on our Unusual Birds page here.

A. Bicks says:

I have a white-tailed dove who is regular guest in my yard this spring. He is beautiful. I’m waiting for the perfect opportunity to take his picture.

Sumter, SC

James Kirschman says:

I have a white tail mourning dove near my bird feeder. He eats seed on the ground like the other mourning doves. He seems frisky. He keeps chasing other mourning doves who don’t want anything to do with him or her. I can’t tell male from female mourning doves.

James Kirschman says:

I forgot to mention that the white tailed mourning dove was seen in Champion, Ohio.

John H says:

I have a white tailed mourning dove feeding in my back yard this morning in Texarkana,
Texas. Beautiful, graceful birds.

LuAnn Cheyne Frost says:

We have two doves with a white band near the tip of the tail that are ruling the roost of our regular mourning doves. They’re slightly larger and aggressive. The breast feathers have a pink tinge. Two large dark spots toward the back of the bird, probably on the wings but I’ll have to get a picture the next time. Birds are gray on the bottom, buff on top.

Linda Patton says:

at least two of them eating with a bunch of normal mourning doves on my patio in Toledo, Ohio <3 <3

Alison O'Konski says:

I have two Mourning Doves with white tail tips that you can clearly see while foraging on the ground for seeds with the rest of the Mourning Doves. Never seen them before here in Phoenix Arizona, or anywhere else for that matter.

Julie E Oliver says:

Saw my first one this evening under feeder! Steeleville, IL

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