Of the four types of doves that call Hawaiʻi home, mourning doves are the rarest.
Named for their sorrowful call, these birds were introduced to Hawaiʻi Island in the mid-1960s. They were released as game birds near Puʻu Waʻawaʻa on the island’s west side. (Ring a bell? The yellow-fronted canary and the kalij pheasant have similar origin stories.)
They mainly stay in dry woodlands and grasslands, foraging for seeds. Unlike many other birds that have to tilt their head back in order to use gravity to drink, mourning doves are able to use their beak like a straw to suck up water. This adaptation helps drink quickly in order to stay safe from predators.
Audio credit: Lance A.M. Benner, Xeno Canto (XC354052)
