The nest is made of twigs delivered by the male to the female who places them loosely in a platform on a horizontal or main crotch of a tree or shrub. Some nests have sparse linings of grass. Old nests of other species are sometimes used, and a few pairs may even nest on the ground. The males incubate for about 8 daylight hours and the females for about 16 hours. Experienced adults may raise 3-6 broods a season.
Many doves feed on seeds of grain, forbs, and grasses.
When breeding, snails are avidly taken, perhaps to supplement calcium for eggshell formation. Foods are gleaned from the ground. This is supplemented by seeds and a few insects as the young grow older. In many regions of the country, Mourning Doves are highly migratory, but in milder climates, some birds may remain near breeding areas through the winter. Banding has revealed that females and immatures generally go farther south in winter than adult males and that adult males are the first to arrive on breeding areas in spring.