Virtually all of a mourning dove’s diet is seeds.  Mourning doves need open ground to visually see their food.  They do not scratch to find food, nor do they dig with their beaks. Doves will peck berries or seeds from the ground, or occasionally perch on a plant to peck seeds.  Research indicates visual cues play an important role in their search pattern.   The presence of other feeding birds may cause them to stop and try the food.  A bird may eat one or two seeds and if less preferred, will continue searching.  If a preferred seed is found, the bird may stay at that location until all the seed is consumed.