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Love Birds
updated: Feb 03, 2013, 8:34 PM

By Edhat Subscriber

The Santa Ynez Valley is a flutter with all kinds of wild birds. We are hearing a lot of the cooing of doves and the raucous squawks of crows. Is this mating season or do they mate all year?

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 370581P	2013-02-04 01:21 AM
'Tis the season, sounds like.
COMMENT 370588	2013-02-04 06:40 AM
They are not that lucky!
COMMENT 370595	2013-02-04 07:25 AM
Maybe you are in one of the largest migratory bird pathways in the country. More info at Audobon Society.
COMMENT 370611	2013-02-04 07:56 AM
Yep, it's the beginning of nesting season. Birds are doin their thing, singing to attract mates, selecting and defending territories, and building nests. Most birds only nest during the spring-summer.
COMMENT 370612	2013-02-04 08:00 AM
Today we are half way between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. The days are getting longer and the light is triggering the birds hormones. I think of today as the first day of spring. Many cultures had special rituals for this time of year. The Celts called February 1st, Imbolc. It is time for birth and growth in the Northern Hemisphere.
COMMENT 370613P	2013-02-04 08:01 AM
Really? Do they mate all year? Time to do a little basic research on birds. Cornell Ornithology is a good place, or even Wikipedia, bur something so you have a basic understanding.
SEEDLADY	2013-02-04 08:53 AM
595 hits the nail on the head. We get to share the Central Coast's rich habitat with many bird species. Things are starting to get noisier in my central coast garden as well. The SB Audubon group has an email newsletter and alerts for unusual sightings, field trips, etc. If you are really interested in knowing more about birds, contact them. Warning, it can be addictive. here is the SB Audubon spring 2013 field trip listing: http://www.santabarbaraaudubon.org/sbasfieldtrips.html
COMMENT 370622	2013-02-04 08:58 AM
613P-People should be able to post questions/observations without the fear of being ridiculed on line.
COMMENT 370623P	2013-02-04 08:58 AM
613's snide comments are not pleasant. People learn by asking questions. The import of 613's comment seems to be that one cannot ask questions without having an answer.
COMMENT 370624	2013-02-04 09:08 AM
Spring is early due to climate change.
COMMENT 370656	2013-02-04 10:53 AM
No, birds do not mate all year. Most animals' mating season is timed so that the young are born when resources of food are most abundant. But doesn't mean that in some species pairs aren't bonded throughout the year or at least until the young are fledged, in the case of birds, or reared. I'm not 100% sure but only humans can be fertile all year... some apes/primates may mate throughout the year but I'm not sure about being in estes, or fertile, year round. FWIW... there are no dumb questions, only dumb responses.
COMMENT 370807	2013-02-04 07:33 PM
Maybe the cooing is from the Eurasian Collared Doves. They are relatively new arrivals. This is the first year I've seen them in my yard.
COMMENT 370858	2013-02-05 06:58 AM
I wish I had opportunity to see the Eurasian Collared Doves. My National Wildlife Federation Bird Book says on the Eurasian Collared Doves: In the mid-1970s, Eurasian Collared-Doves escaped from an aviary in the Bahamas; by 1978 some had dispersed to Florida. The species has since multiplied and spread into North America, especially into suburbs of the South and West; it is expected to be abundant across the continent in a few decades. A smaller, paler avicultural form "ringed Turtle-Dove", is often seen in southern states, and some birds in North America appear to be of mixed derivation. VOICE: a harsh ho-hooo-ho, repeated also a nasal haaow.
COMMENT 371274P	2013-02-06 07:14 AM
613p: thanks for the reference to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. You're right to suggest that for some questions a little bit of googling is a very good start!

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