The mourning dove is closely related to the eared dove ("Zenaida auriculata") and the Socorro dove ("Zenaida graysoni"). Some authorities consider them a superspecies, and the three birds are sometimes classified in the separate genus "Zenaidura", but the current classification has them as separate species in the genus "Zenaida". In addition, the Socorro dove has at times been considered conspecific with the mourning dove, though several differences in behavior, call, and appearance justify separation as two different species. While the three species do form a subgroup of "Zenaida", using a separate genus would interfere with the monophyly of "Zenaida" by making it paraphyletic.