Where to place Mourning Dove feeders
It can't be easy for Mourning Doves in particularly to land on feeders if this larger than normal backyard bird isn't provided the space it needs when flying en route to feeders.
Where to place Mourning Dove feeders must be in a clearing which can by in the middle of the yard, and probably on the lawn. Clearing must be made to and from feeders along with a well lit up location in a sunny area. Ground feeders will be better suited yet a platform feeder on a stand is an option.
Can't be easy for such a large bird with a massive wingspan to use bird feeders made to be elevated, thus we must consider not using such tricky feeders for use by doves.
Doves in particularly would happily feed on an open top platform bird feeder which can be found in a bright, lit up spot with no shade or objects keeping it out of sight.
Usually people would prefer to keep doves and pigeons off bird feeders thus its going to be easy to attract doves to any feeder situated in the yard.
Remember, a Mourning Doves diet is mostly made up of seeds, thus to attract birds to any bird feeder placement must contain an abundance of seed mixes. To situate these seeds in a lit up are that is visible from above would be vital.
Other bird species will also spot the seeds and eat them in the process, though I am sure plenty will be left over for doves if enough is offered.
What with Mourning Doves preferring to foraging on the ground as they naturally would in the wild - seeds spilling onto the ground below feeders can only benefit this large common bird, rather than hinder their efforts.
Where you should place a Mourning Dove feeder is in a lit up area, free of objects that can get in their way in-flight - with feeders visible in all directions.
Place in unobstructed clearing
What with the Mourning Dove having one of the widest wingspans at 22 inches - of all the dove and pigeon family - where you place a feeder intended for this particular dove will be in an unobstructed clearing.
What exactly is a clearing and where in your yard can you safely feed doves?
Well, to center what must be an open top platform bird feeder, in what is a doves favorite bird feeder - would go in the center of the yard - which will probably relate to most of us.
Place the Mourning Dove bird feeder at the center point with any natural vegetation or common backyard objects almost guaranteed to be kept clear.
You must aim for a wide unobstructed clearing for doves of course because they are a larger bird who are naturally uncoordinated, whilst appearing to be quite clumsy whenever they attempt to perch on feeders way to small for them.
Forcing a Mourning Dove to fly through or maneuver in-between objects en route to the feeder - filled with their favorite seeds - could potentially harm them in the process.
Bird feeders setup to attract Mourning Doves will be in a center location but can be offset to one side if you have the room.
Similarly, where you place a Mourning Dove feeder will be in a bright, lit up area so it can be spotted as doves pass overhead anytime throughout the day.
Position in less hazardous area
While its important for me to emphasis the potential dangers that continue to be in the way of Mourning Doves, which are commonly found in suburban yards - let's do all you can to clear a flight path to the feeders.
Where you can place what would be a open top platform bird feeder on a stand or one that goes on the ground, would be in an area with a clearing of 10 feet at least.
It can be less but absolutely the wider the distance between feeder to hazardous objects, we can then concentrate our efforts on keeping this slow-moving dove safe.
Safe because Mourning Doves can be a target of neighborhoods cats waiting in the wings, as these slow moving birds land to feed in your yard.
With Mourning Dove feeders sat out in the open in a wide clearing, at least this gives them a chance to spot the approaching cats - and other natural predators - waiting in the long grass or vegetation.
What can be the best way to feed Mourning Doves is on an open top platform, leaving plenty of room for them to perch. Whilst considering an elevated platform feeder made to be hung - with an option for a platform bird feeder 3 to 4 feet up on a corresponding stand sitting on the lawn.
Ground feeder a favorite
What Mourning Doves will forage for in the wild is seeds of cultivated grains, grasses and ragweed's... with seeds taken from many other common native plants.
That can only mean by nature Mourning Doves are ground feeding birds who will prefer to forage for seeds on the lawn. Doves will use a bird feeder for sure, but are guaranteed to eat seeds that have fallen off bird feeders suspended off the ground above.
Remember, Mourning Doves are one of the largest common backyard birds of them all, thus its natural for such a large bird to be a ground eater rather than seen tackling hard to access feed in trees which will be found in the wild.
With that we now know where you place a feeder to attract Mourning Doves in particular would be on the ground.
I have previously mentioned an on the ground feeder placement can be risky if cats are around - yet can be a very effective location if there's no issues with predators at all.
You'd want to situate what can only be an open to all open top platform ground bird feeder on the lawn - or you can choose to push the feeder over to an area where doves are seen to frequent the most on a daily basis.
Doves must be able to see the wild bird seed spread out on top of this flat platform which will be facing up to the sky, in a well lit up area so its seen from afar.
Mourning Doves will eat spillages
You know what, you can put any open top platform bird feeder on a pole, mounted on top of a chopped off tree stump [as pictured above], mount it on a deck railing or position it on the ground - knowing full well Mourning Doves will try their best to gobble up the seeds regardless.
Mourning Doves can be depended upon to clean up the area directly beneath your elevated bird feeders when hung up on a branch or pole, where birds tend to cause spillages as they feed.
With that you can continue to feed smaller birds only whilst directing doves to the ground to clean up the mess - or if you don't have a suitable Mourning Dove safe feeder available - you can throw seeds on the ground, below feeders.
Spillages must primarily be wild bird seeds of course as this is what doves will only eat; all while its vital to remember other common ground eating birds like Northern Cardinals or Blue Jays will want to share the spoils.
Place a Mourning Dove specific feeder where you like knowing full well they will want to forage on the ground below bird feeders to pick up what other feeding birds drop.
Don't ever position a bird feeder in an area that is hard to forage for beneath it, knowing well Mourning Doves will benefit foraging more on the ground than where they'd likely find it hard to eat off bird feeders.
Summarizing up
One of the largest birds of the dove and pigeon family, thus where you decide to position the Mourning Dove specific bird feeder must be in an unobstructed clearing.
Middle of the yard is an appropriate location with a wide clearing that has no garden furniture, washing lines or buildings obstructing them as they find a flight route to the bird feeder, sitting out in your yard.
Mourning Doves as you can imagine are not the most agile birds in our yards, thus can be seen to move slowly whilst finding it hard to feed out of any bird feeder; other than an open to the elements open top platform feeder which is suitable for doves.
Slow moving birds they may be thus can be cornered by cats or other predators wishing to do them harm.
Wide clearing with visibility in all directions is important for doves so its vital to situate any feeders in the middle of the yard, whilst avoiding vegetation or an area where predators can sit and wait.
Mourning Doves are ground feeding birds by nature thus where you place a Mourning Dove feeder, will be better placed on the ground.
Continue to utilize a platform bird feeder on a stand or one that is made to be hung or mounted, providing you think about opening up a potential unobstructed flight path.
In the end, Mourning Doves can be kept off bird feeders while foraging for spillages directly below suspended feeders - where bird food tends to drop to the ground - and where smaller birds will eats from up above.
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