Lena Torres
The owl's hoot is one of the most distinctive and cherished bird calls. But can you name a bird that sounds like an owl? The mourning dove, a common backyard bird, is often mistaken for an owl due to its cooing and hooting calls. While the owl's hoot is typically heard at night, the mourning dove is diurnal, strutting around during the day. So, if you hear a hooting call during the day, it's likely a mourning dove and not an owl.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Bird species that sound like owls | Mourning doves, pigeons, nighthawks, whip-poor-wills, rock pigeons, banded-tail pigeons, tawny frogmouths, nighthawks, and Wilson's snipes |
| Owl call characteristics | Deep, stuttering "hoo hoo hoo" sounds; high-pitched; multiple syllables; abrupt |
| Dove call characteristics | Cooing; soft hooting; mournful; “coo” rather than “woo” |
| Owl habitats | Forests, abandoned buildings |
| Dove habitats | Populated areas, cities, backyards |
| Owl activity | Nocturnal |
| Dove activity | Diurnal |
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What You'll Learn
Mourning doves sound similar to owls
The owl features one of the most distinctive bird calls, with its famous "hoot-hoot". Owls are nocturnal hunters, so you're most likely to hear them hooting at night. However, the mourning dove is a bird that can sound very similar to an owl.
Mourning doves have a cooing call, often described as mournful or sad, which can be confused with the owl's hoot. This is especially likely if you hear the sound during the day, as mourning doves are diurnal, while owls are typically nocturnal. So, if you hear a hooting call during the day, it's probably a mourning dove, not an owl.
Mourning doves also make a distinctive wing sound when they start to fly or land, which is quite different from the owl's silent flight. The doves' wings create a loud whistling noise that may startle predators or warn flockmates. They can also clap their wings together during takeoff.
While the mourning dove may sound like an owl, its diet and behaviour are quite different. Mourning doves eat a mostly vegetarian diet, consisting almost entirely of seeds, with some insects. They also eat fine dirt, sand, or small rocks to aid digestion. In contrast, owls typically eat small mammals, birds, and insects.
So, while mourning doves and owls may sound alike, particularly at night, there are some key differences in their behaviour and diet that can help distinguish them.
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Owls are nocturnal, doves are diurnal
Owls and doves can sound remarkably similar, with the mournful cooing of a dove being confused for the hooting of an owl. However, one key difference between these birds is their activity patterns: owls are nocturnal, while doves are diurnal.
Nocturnal animals, including owls, are most active at night and sleep during the day. Owls have enhanced eyesight, hearing, and a sense of smell, which help them navigate and hunt in the dark. They produce a distinctive "hoo" sound, often associated with their nighttime activities.
Diurnal animals, on the other hand, are most active during the day and sleep at night. Doves, being diurnal, strut around and are typically seen during daylight hours. While doves can also make hooting sounds, their calls are often described as mournful or sad, giving them their name. This distinction in activity patterns can be crucial in identifying these birds based on their calls.
The timing of these birds' vocalizations is a critical factor in distinguishing them. If you hear a hooting or cooing sound during the daytime, it is more likely to be the call of a mourning dove rather than an owl. Owls typically become active and start hooting at dusk or during the night, while doves are more vocal during the day.
While both owls and doves can be found in similar environments, their differing activity patterns mean they have adapted to utilize different resources and avoid direct competition. This separation of activity times allows them to coexist in the same ecosystems without constantly intruding on each other's territories.
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Owls hoot to mark territory
The owl's hoot is one of the most distinctive and recognisable bird calls. While the hoot is a well-known call of common American species like the great horned and barred owls, several other owl species make similar calls.
Owls hoot for various reasons. The primary reason is to communicate with other owls, specifically to mark their territories. By hooting, owls inform their neighbours that they are still present and willing to fight to defend their space. Owls will respond aggressively to any intruders in their territory. Mated pairs often hoot together, and it is possible to tell which bird is male and which is female by their calls.
Territorial hooting decreases in February or March at the onset of egg laying. Outside of the nesting season, great horned owls may roost wherever their foraging path ends at dawn. They are typically nocturnal, so you are most likely to hear them hooting at night.
However, the mourning dove, a diurnal bird, also makes a hooting call that is often confused with that of an owl. Mourning doves are common backyard birds, and their signature cooing means they are often heard before they are seen. Their call is a little mournful, which is where they get their name.
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Doves are more common in populated areas
The mourning dove's call is often confused with an owl's hoot. Owls are typically nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. Mourning doves, on the other hand, are diurnal, strutting around during the day. This means that a hooting call during the day is more likely to be a mourning dove than an owl.
Mourning doves are common across the continent and are often heard before they are seen. They occupy a wide variety of open and semi-open habitats, including urban areas, farms, prairies, grasslands, and lightly wooded areas. They avoid swamps and thick forests.
Mourning doves are prolific breeders, and in warm areas, one pair may raise up to six broods of two young each in a single year. This contributes to their ability to sustain their population despite being hunted and facing various diseases and parasites.
The ability of mourning doves to adapt to human landscapes may also contribute to their prevalence in populated areas. They can be found in irrigated farm fields and residential neighbourhoods, where they feed on seeds from bird feeders and the ground. Mourning doves are also strong fliers, capable of speeds up to 88 km/h (55 mph), which may aid their dispersal and survival in human-modified environments.
In summary, mourning doves are common in populated areas due to their ability to adapt to human landscapes, their prolific breeding, and their strong flying capabilities. Their presence in urban environments and distinct hooting calls often lead to confusion with owls.
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Other birds that sound like owls
The owl's distinctive hoot is one of the most well-known and cherished bird calls. Owls hoot to mark their territory, convey warnings, communicate with their mates, and signal the presence of a predator. While owls typically make these sounds at night, some other birds sound remarkably similar to the untrained ear.
One of the most common birds that sound like owls is the mourning dove. Mourning doves are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day, so a hooting call during the day likely comes from a mourning dove rather than an owl. Mourning doves make a number of distinctive calls that can sound slightly different from an owl. The male mourning dove's call typically sounds like "cooOOoo-wooooo-woo-woo", which is made up of four parts. The first part sounds like a trilling coo, followed by a long woo and two shorter woos. Other calls include a shorter "cooOOOoo" when mated pairs meet, or a short "roo-oo" to warn of nearby predators. Compared to owls, mourning doves' calls are generally sharper and less melodic, and their coos or woos are lighter and more airy.
Another bird that may sound like an owl is the Eurasian collared dove. One person described hearing a "not-owl hooting" in their backyard and later identified the sound as coming from this bird species.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, doves and owls can sound similar. Mourning doves, in particular, are known to have calls that are often confused with an owl's hoot.
Owls typically have a distinctive hooting call. The barred owl, for example, has a hooting call of 8-9 notes, described as "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?".
Doves have a soft cooing or hooting call. Mourning doves, for instance, make a soft hooting or cooing sound, often described as mournful or sad.
One key difference is the time of day they are most active. Owls are typically nocturnal, so if you hear hooting during the day, it is likely a dove.
