"Dove" proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.), a new variety of proso millet, is being planted to attract doves in the Southeast. A food habit study was initiated to determine the desirability of dove proso as a mourning dove (Zenaidura macroura) food as compared with browntop millet (Panicum ram08um L.). Field trial plantings of equal acreages of dove proso and browntop millet were made in nine counties of South Carolina from 1966-1970. Crops of 152 mourning doves were collected and analyzed. Eighty-six of the crops were collected from a single trial field on Oakland Club, Berkeley County. Volumetrically, dove proso comprised 25.4 percent and browntop millet 13.4 percent of the total food consumed. The percent frequency of use was not significantly different. The frequencies of use of dove proso and browntop millet were 53.3 percent and 50.7 percent respectively. The method of planting dove proso is described, with some of the problems encountered with dove proso in dove fields.
