Mourning Dove

# Evolutionary Timeline of the Mourning Dove The Mourning Dove (*Zenaida macroura*) belongs to the Columbidae family, with roots tracing back to early avian diversification after the dinosaur extinction. Key evolutionary pressures included climate changes, habitat shifts from forests to open grasslands, and adaptations for seed-eating and rapid flight to evade predators. ### Key Milestones - **~66 million years ago (Paleogene Period)**: Post K-Pg extinction, early bird ancestors diversify; proto-Columbiformes emerge in forested environments. - **~50-30 million years ago (Eocene-Oligocene)**: Columbidae family originates, with ancestors like *Columba* adapting to seed-based diets amid cooling climates. - **~20-5 million years ago (Miocene)**: Divergence of New World doves; Zenaida genus evolves in response to expanding grasslands and arid conditions in the Americas. - **~2.5 million years ago to present (Pleistocene-Quaternary)**: Modern Mourning Doves adapt to human-altered landscapes, developing migratory behaviors and ground-foraging traits amid ice ages and habitat fragmentation.