How to Attract Doves to Your Yard

If you are in an area with wild doves, you have a chance of attracting them to your yard. Attracting doves is a matter of providing a suitable habitat. While the notion of having doves in your yard may be romantic, the actual steps involved in attracting them are simple and straightforward. Remember, there is no guarantee that you will attract doves to your yard by any means. If you succeed, though, the reward is well worth any chance of wasted effort.

Small seeds

Water

Birdbath or trashcan lid

Small stones

Medium-size boxes of any kind

Evergreen trees, tall grass seed or sunflower seeds

Put out food that doves like to eat onto the ground. Doves like to eat small seeds without hulls, so scatter them in your yard. Feed them during the warm months. Don't wait until late fall and winter. Get the doves used to eating in your yard so they will know that they have a reliable food source there.

Set out water for the doves. An appropriate water source will quench their thirst and let them wash. Water should be at about 2 inches deep for optimal use by the doves. Use a birdbath or inverted trashcan lid.

Give them small stones to aid in their digestion. Make these accessible, such as on a specific patch of ground. Doves are among the many birds that swallow stones to aid in breaking up food.

Give doves boxes to nest in. Any kind of open box is appropriate for doves. Locate them at various heights, high and low.

Cultivate plants that doves like. Doves like evergreen trees, tall grass and sunflowers.

Keep your yard free of predatory animals like cats and dogs.

Keep your yard free of loud noise like power tools, lawnmowers, loud vehicles and sounds of construction.

Keep your yard free of too much human activity. If you plan on attracting doves, don't overdo the garden parties, neighborhood barbecues and the like.

Accept that doves may never come to your yard, but enjoy the effort of trying to attract them.