West · Pacific Flyway
Doves in California
Doves in California come down to 10 species with regular eBird records, led by the Mourning Dove. Together they account for 2,380,077 of the 62 million eBird records from 2020–2024 — 3.8% of everything reported in the state.
The full list: Mourning Dove, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Rock Pigeon, Band-tailed Pigeon, White-winged Dove, Common Ground Dove, Inca Dove, Spotted Dove, Oriental Turtle-Dove and African Collared-Dove. Doves and pigeons are the plump, small-headed birds that walk rather than hop and feed almost entirely on seeds. The Mourning Dove is among the most widespread birds in the country; several other species are regional, and the Eurasian Collared-Dove and Rock Pigeon are introduced.
Doves in California: every species, most-reported first
Every dove with at least 25 eBird records in the state from 2020–2024, most-reported first. The status label is derived from each species’ own monthly share of all state records.
1. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) — 1,160,123 records, 1.9% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
2. Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) — 482,615 records, 0.8% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
3. Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) — 450,440 records, 0.7% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
4. Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata) — 249,685 records, 0.4% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
5. White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) — 23,703 records, 0.04% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
6. Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina) — 10,263 records, 0.02% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
7. Inca Dove (Columbina inca) — 1,649 records, 0.00% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
8. Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis) — 850 records, 0.00% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in April, May, September and October with a peak in October.
9. Oriental Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia orientalis) — 661 records, 0.00% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in February with a peak in February.
10. African Collared-Dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea) — 88 records, 0.00% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
When to see doves in California
Adding up every species’ share of state eBird records month by month, doves are most prominent in July, August and June and least in November and October. 8 of the 10 species are year-round — Mourning Dove, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Rock Pigeon, Band-tailed Pigeon, White-winged Dove and Common Ground Dove and 2 more — so there is no month without them.
Passage migrants. Spotted Dove is reported mainly in April, May, September and October; Oriental Turtle-Dove is reported mainly in February.
Attracting doves to California backyards
Doves feed on the ground and on platform feeders, taking millet, cracked corn, and sunflower. A shallow bird bath matters as much as food; doves drink more than most songbirds.
In California the dove most likely to turn up is the Mourning Dove, a year-round resident, followed by the Eurasian Collared-Dove. Its own page covers month-by-month activity and attraction tips for this state.
Doves in California: FAQ
How many species of doves are there in California?
10 species of doves have regular eBird records in California (at least 25 records in 2020–2024): Mourning Dove, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Rock Pigeon, Band-tailed Pigeon, White-winged Dove, Common Ground Dove, Inca Dove, Spotted Dove, Oriental Turtle-Dove and African Collared-Dove.
What is the most common dove in California?
The Mourning Dove, with 1,160,123 eBird records in 2020–2024, followed by the Eurasian Collared-Dove with 482,615. It is a year-round resident, reported in every month.
When is the best time to see doves in California?
July, August and June, when the combined share of California eBird records belonging to doves is highest.
More birds in California
Doves in other states
Doves in California: sources
Every number on this page comes from the EOD – eBird Observation Dataset published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and distributed through GBIF under a CC BY 4.0 license: California records from 2020–2024, retrieved 2026-09-18. Species are drawn from the families Columbidae; only species with at least 25 records are listed, and a species is called a year-round resident when its monthly share of state records stays above 30% of its own peak in ten or more months. “Records” are individual eBird observations, so they reflect how often birders report a species, not a population count.