Once rare in N.S., now common

I met this pair of mourning doves foraging on the railbed section of the trail this morning. I stood perfectly still as they worked their way towards me, moving back and forth, back and forth across the path as they searched for seeds. They are beautifully marked birds when seen up close. They are classified as gamebirds in 36 states in the U.S., but in most of Canada, including Nova Scotia, they are classified as songbirds, so are illegal to hunt.