I've been seeing a lot of bullying going on outside of the bird store. Peaceful Mourning Doves seem to be in a mood every year after nesting. Male doves poof up their neck feathers and chase other doves around on the ground. Dove fights have to do with establishing a pecking order. When nesting season is over at the beginning of fall, doves tend to gather together in loose flocks. The social structure is determined by a series of challenges between the birds. The bird that retreats the fewest times is considered dominant. The dominant bird has fewer challenges than the middle ranking birds throughout the winter and dominance is not related to whether the bird is male or female.
At the end of winter the birds separate into male and female groups and dominance within the single sex groups is established. All the boys are attracted to the dominant female as they mingle only at feeding sites. Later the dominant male scoops up the dominate female and form a pair bond for the nesting season. They are the first to pair, establish a territory and nest.
During courtships males perform a noisy flight display and then approach the female with a bow and a coo. Once she accepts the male they preen each other and stay very close. The male sometimes “drives” the female. He follows close behind and gives her a peck when she stops walking in areas where other males might be around. Many chases or fights in the spring are a result of an unmated male trying to gain the attention of a female. Males also chase pairs away from the territory that they’ve claimed for the season.
