Dove Food Identification??

[Creedmore]

We had our annual dove shoot at our place between Sonora and Del Rio in Val Verde county this weekend. Did pretty good. All of the white wing craws were full of these seeds. Don't remember seeing these before, but there must be a bumper crop, because all the birds were full of them. It's not Mountain Laurel, because those have red seeds.

Any ideas what they are? About the size of a shelled peanut. That's a 22LR for size reference.

[tx07]

There is this bush that has those on it. Ringtail cats eat them. I dont know the name of it.

[bowhunterchris]

"dove" weed seeds.

[unclefish]

Looks like mesquite beans to me....top of picture.

[Creedmore]

99% sure it's not mesquite beans, because these were much larger. I have mesquites in my yard, I'll open a few this evening to make sure.

These seeds are so big, I'm amazed they don't choke to death trying to swallow them. The gizzard is an amazing muscle to digest these suckers.

[bbqfan5909]

Winter wheat seeds?

[Smart]

They are bull nettle seeds I think.

I asked the same question about 3 years ago. Let me go check.

[Smart]

I guess they could be mesquite beans......but mine were bull nettle.

Look here and more specifically post 26...

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=401260&highlight=Bull+nettle

[Creedmore]

[quote=Smart;10468145]I guess they could be mesquite beans......but mine were bull nettle.

Look here and more specifically post 26...

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=401260&highlight=Bull+nettle

In that post, #40 gum bumelia looks the closest so far.

They are much bigger than mesquite beans, and we don't have many mesquites in the area anyhow.

Brought a ziplock bag full of them home to plant.

[unclefish]

If not mesquite beans then it might be honey locust seeds....they are usually bigger than mesquite beans. I've got both on my place but won't be up there til the weekend and then I could check.

[tex4k]

Looks kinda like the seeds from Texas persimmons, never seen dove eat fruit but maybe whitewings are turned a little different.

[unclefish]

Could be gum bumelia seeds but looks different to me. Mystery bean....

[Christianhuff]

well, looks like we have it narrowed down!

[Shiner]

Mountain laurel ? Just a guess

[yanta61]

looks like someone is feeding pea gravel again.....