Mike in the Wild

Everyone is familiar with doves and pigeons, especially the mourning dove's gentle coo and the crowds of rock pigeons teeming in every city.  Also in this family of birds is the white-winged dove, both a resident and visitor to the American southwest.  It's a sure sign that the summer heat is approaching when Phoenicians hear the "Goob, goob, g'joob" rhythmic calls of this large dove.   While I recognize The Beatles in the cadence, others hear "Who cook's for you?"  Whatever the chorus reminds you of, these sounds at the end of spring mean that the white-winged doves in your neighborhood are starting their breeding season. At the moment, my backyard is home to at least two nesting pairs of the dove, a species that is known to mate for life.  Their breeding apparently coincides with the availability of local flowers' nectar and more specifically Arizona's massive saguaro cactus' blooms and fruit.  While June's heat scares away many...