I think a lot of people use the terms interchangably but "Rock Dove" is the more technical name for a pidgeon. The two birds in your picture are "Mourning Doves" also known as "Turtle Doves" (like in the Christmas song). They like seeds but don't visit feeders usually. They like to eat their seeds directly from the ground or a flat, bare surface. So, if you want to attract them you should put seeds on the ground. Or you could just put up a feeder and let them eat what falls from the feeder when other birds visit it ;-)
Two turtle doves, eh? I've pear trees in my front yard - wonder where I sign up for the partridges?
I'd go for the three french hens, too - eleanor had a link about hencoops for backyards - but I believe the CC&R's for this property forbid it, darn it.
They're not the same thing. "Rock doves" are pigeons of the sort that are commonly seen in cities pretty much around the world. They're often considered to be pests. Mourning Doves are one of the doves native to North America and are generally not a problem. If you want to feed them, they'll eat seed scattered on the ground or on a flat, open platform feeder.
According to the books I checked, they're different species -- mourning dove is what you photographed, and rock doves are the standard city pigeons you'll see everywhere if you go into a big city.
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Date: 2004-04-23 02:43 pm (UTC)I'd go for the three french hens, too -
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