They’re BIG, They’re BAD, and They’re BACK!!!

While I welcomed the return of our White-crowned Sparrows this winter, I loathe the return of the White-winged Doves this spring. They are a bad omen, like the grim reaper, reminding us of what is inevitable – the hellacious inferno of heat that is coming.

The real issue I have with the White-winged Doves is that they are backyard bullies. From hogging the feeders, to chasing off any bird that gets in their way, they know no bounds. Suet and seedcakes for my Gilas and Flickers, sunflower seeds for my Thrashers and Towhees, and even nectar for my Hummers and Verdin, will all get ransacked by the gluttonous White-winged Doves. No one is safe, not even my little Lesser Goldfinches trying to feed at their sock full of thistle.

There are programs in our kids’ schools to prevent this kind of bad behavior and bullying, but apparently this has not yet reached the bird world.

White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)