White-winged doves begin breeding during March and April depending on environmental conditions. As the breeding season begins, males begin calling and displaying for potential female mates. When a male white-winged dove finally attracts a female, she will fly to him, they copulate, and afterwards they preen each other. Within a few days, the pair will begin construction of a nest using small twigs. White-winged doves prefer native vegetation such as Texas ebony, Texas sugarberry, and huisache; however, in urban areas they readily nest in large ornamental shade trees including live oak and Rio Grande ash.
In South Texas, they nest in the citrus orchards that have been planted where native habitat once existed. Interestingly, white-winged doves rarely nest in mesquite, likely because the tree canopies are too open. The nests are typically between 8 to 30 feet above the ground, but several animals including hawks, owls, snakes, and feral and domestic cats, among others, still prey upon the eggs and nestlings. Continue reading Breeding and Nesting of White-Winged Doves