Holmes County Extension Office

09/07/2026

09/01/2026

🐔 Did You Know? 🐔If you raise backyard chickens, ducks, turkeys, or other poultry, the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) can help protect your flock's health and make it easier to sell or transport birds and hatching eggs.

✅ NPIP participation helps monitor your flock for diseases such as Pullorum-Typhoid and Avian Influenza.
✅ There is no fee to participate in Mississippi's NPIP program.
✅ NPIP certification can help meet requirements for poultry shows, fairs, and interstate sales.
✅ Regular testing and good biosecurity practices help keep your birds healthy.

Healthy flocks start with prevention! Learn more about NPIP and how to enroll through the Mississippi Board of Animal Health.

09/01/2026

During dove hunting season, you might encounter more than just mourning doves! Mississippi is also home to the Eurasian collared dove and the less common white-winged dove.

Here are some identifying features of each species:

Mourning Dove
A slender, familiar dove found across much of North America. They are mostly plain brown and their gray plumage is accented by black spots on the wings. They also have a long, pointed tail with white spots along the edges that are especially noticeable in flight. Their distinctive mournful coo is one of the most recognizable bird calls in North America.

Eurasian Collared Dove
A large, pale brown dove that has rapidly expanded across much of North America after being released in the Bahamas in the mid-1970s. They can be identified by the narrow black collar around the back of their neck and the large white patches on their outer tail feathers. Their broad, pointed wings and relatively large size also help distinguish them from mourning doves. They have a distinctive deep three-part call.

White-Winged Dove
A medium-to-large dove native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America that has expanded its range north and east over time. In Mississippi, white-winged doves are found primarily in southern portions of the state. They are generally grayish-brown overall, but their most recognizable feature is the bold white patch along the wings, which becomes especially noticeable when the bird is in flight. They also have bright red-orange eyes, blue skin around the eye, and a dark cheek line.

Identifying the dove you're looking at is important—not only for learning the species, but also for knowing which regulations apply while hunting.

Always check the current regulations from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks for season dates, shooting hours, bag limits, possession limits, and any other requirements before heading to the field.

Follow our MSU Extension Gamebird Program page for more content like this.

07/02/2026

The Holmes County Extension Office will be closed for Independence Day starting at noon today, July 2nd, and will reopen on Monday, July 6th at 8 a.m.

06/18/2026

Good luck to all of our 4-H’ers competing in the State 4-H Horse Show down in Jackson this week!🐴🍀

📸 Holmes County 4-H

06/07/2026

Inspired by the cheers of family and friends, Holmes County 4-H'ers excelled in a number of events at the NW District Horse Show today!