Dove Egg Mystery Solved: Incubation Time, Nesting Season, Why Eggs Don’t Hatch, and Fledgling Facts

Beneath the quiet rustle of leaves, a female mourning dove delicately tends her tiny clutch of two unassuming, pale eggs. Though they appear plain at first glance, these eggs hold the promise of new life and the intricate rhythms of nature’s cycle.

In this section, we’ll unravel the mysteries of dove reproduction exploring incubation timelines, nesting behavior, the reasons some eggs fail to hatch, and the journey of fledglings from the nest to the skies.

Understanding Mourning Dove Nesting Season

Mourning dove nesting season spans from early spring through late fall, with some regional variation. In northern areas, pairs may begin nesting as early as March, while in southern states, nesting can start as early as January or February. This extended breeding season allows mourning doves to produce multiple broods, often raising up to five sets of chicks in a single year. Each brood typically consists of two eggs, which are incubated for about 14 days before hatching.

Seasonal changes play a significant role in both nesting frequency and success. Warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours in spring and summer encourage earlier and more frequent nesting attempts. Conversely, cooler weather or sudden environmental stressors—such as storms, predation, or limited food availability—can delay nesting, reduce incubation success, or cause adult doves to abandon a nest. Because mourning doves build relatively fragile nests, repeated nesting throughout the season helps ensure that at least some offspring survive despite these challenges.

Dove Egg Basics: Size and Number

Mourning doves produce small, unassuming eggs that are deceptively delicate. Each egg measures approximately 3.1 cm in length and 2.4 cm in width (1.2 x 0.9 inches), with a smooth, slightly glossy, cream-to-white shell. The simplicity of these eggs belies the precision of nature’s design, perfectly suited for incubation and hatching.

A typical clutch contains two eggs, laid a day or two apart. Both parents share incubation duties, taking turns to ensure the eggs remain at a steady temperature, usually for about 14–15 days until hatching. Mourning doves are prolific breeders; a single pair can produce multiple broods per year, with up to five broods in favorable conditions. This means that over the course of a breeding season from early spring through fall a dove pair may lay as many as 10 eggs or more, depending on environmental conditions and food availability.

Incubation: How Long Do Doves Sit on Their Eggs?

Mourning doves, like most members of the dove family, exhibit a highly attentive approach to incubation. After a clutch of two eggs is laid, the female usually begins sitting on the first egg within a day or two, with the second egg following shortly thereafter. Incubation is a shared responsibility, with both parents taking turns: the female typically sits during the day, while the male may take over at night. These shifts are often seamless, so casual observers may not notice the exchange.

The incubation period for mourning dove eggs averages 14 days, though small variations can occur depending on environmental conditions, such as ambient temperature, humidity, and nest placement. During this time, the eggs must remain consistently warm, usually around 37–38°C (98–100°F), to ensure proper embryonic development.

Patience is key, as sometimes infertile eggs or delays in incubation can extend the expected hatching timeline by several days. Once incubation is complete, the eggs hatch into altricial chicks: small, helpless, and covered in sparse down, requiring constant parental care for warmth and feeding.

What Happens if Dove Eggs Don’t Hatch?

Not all dove eggs result in healthy chicks—this is a natural part of avian reproduction. When dove eggs fail to hatch, it usually means the embryos did not develop due to factors such as infertility, poor incubation conditions, genetic abnormalities, environmental stress, predation, disease, or nutritional deficiencies. In these cases, the eggs remain in the nest without producing any hatchlings.

Mourning dove eggs typically incubate for 14–15 days, with both parents sharing the responsibility of keeping the eggs warm. Occasionally, a clutch may be infertile, and it can take the parents an additional week or more to recognize that the eggs will not hatch. During this time, one parent may continue sitting on the nest while the other provides food or relief, making it appear as though incubation is ongoing.

For observers or caretakers, it’s important to avoid disturbing active nests. Interfering with eggs that are still being attended can stress the parents and may result in abandonment. If a nest is clearly inactive, with no live eggs or young present, it is safe to remove the eggs and soiled nest material. Many people choose to dispose of unhatched eggs in a way that benefits wildlife, such as leaving them in a wooded area for scavengers.

It’s worth noting that unsuccessful clutches are common in the wild. Birds like doves lay multiple eggs across several broods per year to offset these inevitable losses. The reproductive cycle is designed to compensate for occasional non-hatching eggs, ensuring the continuation of the species.

How Often Do Doves Lay Eggs?

Doves are highly prolific breeders, especially species like the Mourning Dove, which are capable of producing multiple broods each year. Their reproductive cycle is fast and efficient, allowing them to maintain high population numbers despite natural predation and environmental pressures.

Laying Frequency:

• Mourning Doves typically lay 2 eggs per clutch.
• They can produce up to six broods per year in favorable conditions.
• The female usually lays the second egg one or two days after the first, and both parents share incubation duties.
• Incubation lasts about 14 days, after which the chicks remain in the nest for another 12–15 days before fledging.

Annual Egg Output:

• With up to six broods per year, a single pair can produce 12 eggs annually.
• Some species of doves may have fewer broods in cooler climates or during adverse weather, but they generally try to maximize reproduction throughout the breeding season.

Environmental and Behavioral Factors Affecting Egg Laying:

• Seasonal conditions: Doves begin nesting in early spring and continue through late fall, with southern populations starting as early as January or February.
• Food availability: Adequate nutrition is critical to sustain repeated egg production.
• Nest success: Doves will often attempt new nests if previous eggs fail, further increasing their total egg output for the year.

Fledgling Facts: From Hatchling to Flying Dove

Timeline and Development Stages

• Hatchling (Day 0–1):
  • Eggs hatch after approximately 14 days of incubation.
  • Hatchlings are helpless, eyes closed, and sparsely covered with ivory-colored down.
  • They cannot hold up their heads and depend entirely on parental warmth and protection.
• Nestling Stage (Days 2–14):
  • Both parents feed hatchlings crop milk, a nutrient-rich secretion from the adults’ crops, providing essential fats, proteins, and antibodies.
  • By one week old, chicks begin to grow primary feather quills beneath their down.
  • By two weeks, young doves develop fluffy feathers, open their eyes, and start showing the white spots typical of juvenile plumage.
• Fledgling Stage (Around 14–16 Days):
  • Chicks leave the nest, becoming fledglings.
  • They are capable of short flights but remain dependent on parents for continued feeding and guidance.
  • Fledglings often stay within close proximity to their parents for 1–2 additional weeks, gradually learning to forage independently.

Parental Care and Fledgling Survival

• Mourning dove parents are highly involved, alternating incubation and feeding shifts to ensure the young survive.
• Both adults feed fledglings crop milk initially, then transition them to a seed-based diet as they grow.
• Parents may continue defending fledglings from predators during this vulnerable period.
• To ensure fledgling survival in the wild or backyard settings:
• • Observe from a distance; do not touch or move fledglings.
  • Provide safe access to seeds and water in nearby areas for fledglings learning to forage.
  • Avoid disturbing nests or fledglings during the first critical weeks after leaving the nest.

Understanding the full life cycle of mourning doves—from the careful construction of their fragile nests to the challenges of incubation and the growth of fledglings—reveals the remarkable resilience and dedication of these birds. Each stage, from egg-laying to fledging, depends on precise timing, attentive parental care, and favorable environmental conditions. Recognizing why some eggs fail to hatch and how fledglings develop equips bird enthusiasts with the knowledge to observe and support mourning doves responsibly, ensuring these familiar and widespread birds continue to thrive in our backyards and natural spaces.