That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds
Also known as the Barbary, ring-necked or domestic dove, ring doves (Streptopelia risoria) are among the most popular and confiding of all pigeon-like birds. Although given species status, this quiet, 9 inch-long bird may be a mere variant of the African collared dove (S. roseogrisea), which was domesticated nearly 3,000 years ago. Those in the pet trade likely also carry the genes of the Eurasian collared dove (S. decaocto) and the red-eyed dove (S. semitorquata), rendering them truly unique.
Feral Populations
Escaped or released ring doves are well-established in the USA (Florida, California), Italy, Taiwan and England. Unlike their cousin, the ubiquitous rock dove or “city pigeon”, these delicate birds are usually quite welcome in their adopted homes.
Color Variations
Ring doves are typically a pleasing fawn in overall coloration, with a beautiful blush of pink about the chest and a black band across the back of the neck. White forms, known as “Java doves” are popular in the pet trade, as are apricot and pied specimens. Most ring doves carry the white gene, so normally-colored birds often surprise their owners with “Java dove” chicks.
Care and Breeding
Although ring doves can adapt to a large parrot cage need flying rather than climbing space and therefore are best housed in an outdoor aviary. They can be habituated to cool temperatures, but, unless a heated retreat is available, should be kept indoors when temperatures stray below 50 F.
Ring doves are usually good parents, and a pair makes an excellent introduction to bird breeding. Mated doves retain their good nature even when kept in the company of small finches and other birds, and require but a simple platform and some sticks as a nest site.
Their basic care and feeding roughly follows that of the diamond dove, which I have described in the article Diamond Doves in the Wild and Captivity. Please write in if you would like detailed husbandry information.
Further Reading
This commonly-kept bird has played a quite uncommon role in saving one of the world’s most highly endangered birds, the pink pigeon (Nesoenas mayeri) of Mauritius. I had the good fortune e to be involved in the rescue effort…please see my article Saving the Endangered Pink Pigeon for the story.
Image referenced from Wikipedia and originally posted by Astirmays
The ring dove has adapted to Iowa. I have seen them near Council Bluffs and in Carroll, Iowa. They seem to have adapted to the colder climate.
Hello Lee, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks very much for taking the time to write in with your most interesting observation. I’ve checked around a bit, and the population you mention is the most northerly that I can document. They look gentle, but they certainly are quite hardy (I’d have trouble in Iowa in the winter!). I’m assuming they rely upon bird feeders in the winter?
Best regards and please keep me posted, Frank Indiviglio.
i just purched a pair of doves,
is there any certain thing i should feed them? thank’s.
Hello Betty, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog.
You ring doves a diet comprised of 75% Sun Vita Dove and Pigeon Food and 25% Pretty Bird Canary and Finch Seed, with a bit of Lafeber Parakeet Pellets mixed in. They should also be provided with small amounts of finely chopped yam, carrot and dark greens such as kale, swiss chard and romaine 2-3x each week. A sprout pot can be kept in the cage as well. Hard-boiled egg (ground with the shell) or Cede Egg Food can be given 1-2x weekly, and grit should always be available. Avitron Vitamins should be added to their drinking water.
If you have another species, or if your ring doves nest, please write back as you’ll need to make some adjustments to the diet.
Good luck, enjoy your doves and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello
I hope you can help.
Me and my fiance have had a male white turtle dove for about 8 years now and he is very tame. Since we have more space and time now we decided to get him a companion female since he has seemed to have wanted a mate for a long time. He always bow coos even to us and the mirror and now lays on our lap top as if it were a nest.
We just purchased a young six month old female yesterday and he seems to approve of her. He bow coos to her and she returns these soft little coos back to him. The only problem is that he tends to peck at her. I have read that the male dove will sometimes peck at the neck area but he will sometimes peck at her eye area after bow cooing. he had pecked at us as well when bow cooing to us or the mirror. He also tends to give little kisses on our hands when he is tapping his wing and cooing.
We are not sure what to do about him pecking at the female. He managed to pull out a small feather. Should we keep them separated and if so for how long. We don’t want him to injure her in any way.
Thank you for your time 🙂
Tanya
Hello Tanya, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog.
The situation you describe is quite common. Although most doves mature quite rapidly, females should not be bred until at least 9 months, and preferably 12 months, of age. This is especially important where the male is much older, and in an indoor cage where space is usually somewhat limited. The female may, as you describe, respond somewhat but certain courtship cues are likely missing, which may elicit aggression from the male.
In case you have not done so, although doves are somewhat more forgiving in this regard than other birds, it is usually advisable to house birds to be introduced in separate cages in the same room for a time, and to gradually move the cages closer together before actually letting the birds have contact with one another.
I suggest that you separate the birds for 3-6 months and try again. You can keep them in the same room if this does not appear stressful to either (and if the incessant cooing does not drive you crazy!). Because of the great age difference, please keep an eye on them when they are put together. Male doves can be quite rough…older females can handle this, especially in an outdoor aviary, but young birds may run into trouble.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hi Frank! Thank you so much for the quick reply!
We do actually have two separate cages for them now and we currently take turns with letting them out one at a time. I was thinking before that it would be best to give her time to mature a bit before allowing them to be together. I feel much more comfortable with you confirming that now.
Thank you so much for your feedback!
Hello Tanya, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your kind comment. I’m glad to see you are so concerned for your doves’ welfare… I’m sure you’ll have a successful breeding in the future.
In the meantime, please be in touch if I can be of any assistance.
Good luck and please let me know how it turns out.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello from France….I need a little help.
I have a wild collared dove which I took in from my garden. It couldn’t fly and had been shot. My vet sealed up the wound on her breast so her food and water was no longer dropping out and I have her in a cage now at home with a course of antibiotics. She’s eating and drinking freely and seems pretty lively today, forty eight hours after her operation.
I have several questions and hope you can help.
1. The vet fears that her plummage may not grow back. It’s a sizeable hole on her breast. If she survives, what chances for her out in the wild missing plummage to keep her warm? We have pretty cold wet winters here, dropping frequently to minus ten at nights.
2. I would like to release her eventually as she is a wild bird and I don’t want to be cruel and keep her in a cage but she doesn’t seem able to fly; she seems to be missing feathers on one wing. How long before she might be able to fly again?
There are no bird sanctuaries nearby, only for owls etc and not common doves. They’re not interested.
Any advice you could give me to help her along and rehabilitate her would be much appreciated. We have quite a flock of collared doves which come into the garden to feed so I think she’s very much a local bird.
Regards,
Kathryn.
Hello Kathryn, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog. I admire your efforts on the bird’s behalf.
The feathers may not grow back if the underlying follicles have been damaged. Unfortunately, the dove would not survive if released with bare skin. Birds keep warm by trapping air among the feathers (which is why they puff up at night) – there it is heated by their high body temperatures (105-110 F), which is why they can survive such temperature extremes. Also, the feathers are also oiled by secretions from the preen gland, and shed water – bare skin would quickly become wet, and the bird would freeze.
As for the wing feathers growing in: feather re-growth is timed to the seasons, and if the feathers were to re-grow it might not be until the bird’s usual molt is due. The change in temperature (indoors) could also throw off the internal control that governs this. So, again, bad news – there really is no way to predict when this will happen. I’m assuming a wing injury has been ruled out as well?
Perhaps it would be worthwhile to contact local birding clubs, if any are available, or parrot-cage bird interest groups. There may be members who are interested in native birds, or who have links to nature centers or similar organizations.
Sorry I could not be of more assistance…please let me know if there is anything further I might be able to do. You certainly have done a good deed, but we pay for those sometimes!
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Thank you for replying so quickly and with such sound advice and information. I had hoped to eventually release her (or him!) back into the wild but if that’s not possible then we’ll sort something out.
I didn’t pick her up straight away from my garden. She’d been there two days and was about to spend another freezing cold wet night perched on our wheelbarrow, unable to fly away. In the end I brought her indoors.
She’s doing fine this morning, eating and drinking well, so fingers crossed.
Many thanks again for your help and I’ll let you know how she gets on.
Kind regards,
Kathryn.
Hello Kathryn, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for the kind words.
You are doing a great job – birds rarely survive being shot, chilled and surgery – the fact that it is eating is great sign. I’ll keep an eye out for possible placement options as well, and will be in touch if anything turns up.
Good luck and please keep me posted…I’m interested to hear how the bird does. I advise many wildlife rehabilitators, and your story will be a good one to inspire them.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello, I purchased a female ring necked dove a few days ago. I wanted to purchase a companion for her. Would she do well with another female? I’m not sure about breeding so that’s why I was wanting a female..Would they fight?
Hello Martha, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog.
Females generally get along well in large quarters; however there is always a chance that first one introduced may become territorial…best to introduce them slowly by keeping the new one next to the other but caged separately for awhile. Be especially careful if the cage is small, as a harassed bird will have no means of escape.
Like other birds, doves may lay eggs even without a male; f this happens, let them brood, they will usually give up after the normal incubation period is over. Pulling the eggs early will usually just cause them to lay a replacement clutch.
Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Sadly the dove I took in didn’t make it. I found her on the floor of her cage this morning. She’d seemed really well when she came back from the vet’s and prospered for a few days but then became quieter and moved around less and I suppose I wasn’t surprised this morning.
Wish I’d had better news to give you,
Regards,
Kathryn.
Hello Kathryn, Frank Indiviglio here.
Sorry for the news but you did a very good thing, and did so in exactly the right manner. There’s an old saying among zookeepers, that I learned on my first day at the Bronx Zoo; “Birds are either healthy, or they are dead” – alluding to the fact that they are so delicate, and, even with the attentions of zoo vets, rarely recover from serious illness/injury. I’ve had barely injured birds die in my hand, from shock.
Often medications and kind attention such as yours keep the birds going for a time, but internal injuries that are difficult to diagnose eventually prove to much..this is commonly seen in chicks that fall from the nest – they feed well for a few days, and then expire.
Good luck and please keep me posted; any notes on the wild birds you see in your area would be most appreciated, when time permits.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hi Kathrine & Frank
I was working in my garden and this bird came over to me, I had never seen one befor.It turned out to be a collared dove.He/She was very tame and I put it inmy covered sunroom and gave it some seeds and water whilst I found out what to do with it I was afraid the w
wild birds would kill it. My son took him to a bird farm close by.We rang them first and was told to bring it to them. My question to you is as it is not an australian native bird do you know when and how it was brought into australia?
Kind Regards
Dorothy.
Thanks for your interest in our blog.
I checked around a bit and found that breeding populations of collared doves are well-established in several locales in Australia (the Alice Springs population is well-studied) and Tasmania. I could not find a record of its earliest appearance in Australia, but it most likely arrived via the pet trade. Australia does a better job of monitoring the movements of animals across her borders than most countries, but collared doves have been in captivity for aver 3 centuries, so there were plenty of opportunities for them to find their way in. Feral birds living in Australia have either escaped or were released (here in the USA, collared doves were often released at weddings – a flock of white ones inhabiting NYC’s Central Park is right now the subject of a “rescue effort” as they seem to be easy prey for the resident hawks!). This dove’s ancestor, the African collared dove, and the Eurasian collared dove, are also established in Australia.
Good luck and please keep me posted…any native bird observations would be most appreciated.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello Frank,
I have a question regarding releasing a rescued mourning dove my daughter found injured on Dec 19th. He has an injured wing that we presume was from a neighbourhood cat. It doesn’t appear to be broken just missing some feathers on the mantle (?) at the injury site. He has been walking, drinking & eating well since we rescued him and now he seems quite perky. He is perching and feathers appear to be growing back well.
I am concerned a bit about releasing him in the winter now that he has been resting in warm place for over a week.
Will he be okay in -10 to -15 celsius after being indoors? And should we wait for all his feathers to completely regrow before releasing? I am concerned that he may molt the longer he is indoors, impeding his winter protection once he is released.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Regards,
Cindy
Hello Cindy, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog. Good thinking…there is some evidence that birds lose their resistance to the cold when kept indoors. In zoo collections, we always leave a window cracked in the indoor aviaries of birds that will be outdoors at times when it may be cold.
All feathers should be replaced before the bird is released, and its ability to fly should be tested (a bone fracture or misalignment may not be obvious, but can impair flight). So I would advise waiting until spring if possible, and perhaps having a veterinarian or a wildlife rehabilitator check the bird before release. A rehabilitator may be able to take the bird now as well, and hold it until spring…please let me know if you need help in locating a facility.
You’re doing a very kind service…Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hi, We have a white male dove that was rescued after he was released at a funeral and didn’t fly. We have had him for almost two years now. He lives in our apartment with several other birds – quaker parrot, budgie, sparrows – but seems to want a companion. We don’t really want a female but have recently seen in a Petland where a male dove is available having had his female cage companion sold. We thought maybe about getting him and wondered if you thought this would be a good idea. Our birds are not kept in cages though they go into various cages throughout our home for food and water. Would the doves get along or would they fight? Any advice you could give would be most appreciated. Thank you!
Hello Eileen, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog.
Doves do not usually fight…however, without a female present, 1 male may continually “court” the other and harass him in that manner. They may call a great deal more as well – unfortunately, no real way to predict what will happen between 2 males, aggression, although rare, is a possibility as well. Doves don’t need companionship in the way parrots do – a pair will usually nest throughout the year, which can be a drain on the female.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello Frank,
Thanks for much for your advice. I think we may leave all as is. I was most concerned about our Dovey needing a companion. Since there are many other birds in the household I think he will be fine. Thanks again!
Kind regards,
Eileen
Hello Eileen, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for the feedback; a good decision I believe. Indoors, a pair can be quite a hand-full!
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hi there!
I just recently acquired a new dove 🙂 His name is Spirit and he is just the most wonderful, outgoing and funny bird.
When I was little, my family had three doves. A mom/dad pair and their baby.
I was wondering, should I find a female dove for Spirit? He’s lived with 6 cockatoos before coming to my home so he had company all the time and the only real excitement he gets is when I let him out of his cage to explore the house or when the cat decides she wants to watch him.
What do you think? Any advice would be great!
Thanks
~Tara
Hello Tara, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your note.
Doves are not social in the same way that parrots are, and so he can get along on their own, especially if you let him out on a regular basis. They do get along well together also, as you’ve seen, but there can be problems in introducing a female to a male. There is a chance that they might not get along, and you’ll need a good-sized cage for them to live in. The ideal situation would be for you to be able to try a female in with him before actually buying her, but I’m sure this is difficult to arrange. Sorry, but there are no definite rules when it comes to introducing birds – you have a better chance of doves co-existing than other species, however.
Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Do one have to seperate the maale Zebra dove from the female for him to sing frequently. or is this not neccesary
Thanx
Hello Leonard, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog.
Interesting question….separating a pair works well in encouraging canaries and many other birds to sing. Doves tend to vocalize quite a bit even when kept in pairs, and the male’s call is not all that much different when he is seeking to attract a female. It may work, but please keep in mind that doves tend to form close pair-bonds – separating them could be stressful, and might also cause them to rub up against the cage/aviary bars in an attempt to reach one another.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Ok I have this dove…not a clue about caring for it…i know they eat more than just seeds…not sure what they should have…and the other day…my husband and i were getting up and all of a sudden we heard him doing his cooing thing…4:30am every morning… my husband says does that thing ever sleep in….and i swear on a bible my husband looked at me and i looked at him and it sounded like it said “@$%” i was like there is no way that bird said that and my husband laughed and said i think he just told me…lol is it even possible???
Hello Eleanore, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog.
You can follow the feeding guidelines described in this article on Diamond Doves. One dove drawback is that they do tend to call very early, sometimes when it is still dark. People often describe bird and insect calls with words – i.e. “katy-did”, “Bob-o-link”, but I’ve not heard the one your husband refers to!
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
HI I’m am in the west phoenix,AZ area and i have seen these ring dove around at first couple of years ago it was just a couple, but lately i have seen more and more of these dove flying around.I am not sure if they can handle our extreme heat but they are around,i find them fascinating to watch as they forage for food they seem a little more at ease being around humans than other birds.My question is what is does their call sound like,i am not sure but i thought i heard a crow singing or cawing but a ring dove flew into my tree the same time i heard that cawing,do they caw like a crow?
Hello Sammy, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog.
The calls of most dove species are a soft “cooing”, I don’t think you could confuse it with a crow. It sounds somewhat like the call of certain owls, but softer. Some people consider it a “sad” sound, hence the name “Mourning Dove” for one species here in the USA.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Nice to meet you Frank,thanks for the quick response,yes we have plenty of morning and white wing doves in these parts.Those ring doves are new here in Phoenix.Funny thing is we don’t have crows around here only grackles .
Hello Sammy, Frank Indiviglio here.
My pleasure, Thanks for the feedback.
Interesting that ring doves have become established there, thanks for the info. Grackles are pretty good at imitating various sounds, so that might explain…
Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Hello how are you?
I have a mourning dove and a white dove that are male and female aswell as brother and sister that mate together and nest. (though none of the eggs have been hatching). could this be because they are siblings?
in the past 2 days i introduced two diamond doves (pretty sure they are still very young) into the cage.
the male mourning dove at first was bow cooing at one of them and seemed to be getting along fine.
then he started pecking and attacking them both and they were very startled.
the female white dove then started to flick her wing at the male and went back to the nest and seemed fine.
though after an hour or two she would start pecking at the little doves.
I have a pretty big cage.. so i seperated the bottom half and the top for the diamond doves and left the others on the bottom half for the nesting.
I was wondering how to tell if the diamond doves are male or female? will all eventually beable to get along in the same cage together? and if there were any suggestions you could think of?
thank you
Hello Lana, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog; I hope you are well.
It is likely that the eggs are not hatching because the pair are siblings; its fine to keep them together, as long as she does not become drained from laying too often. Chicks that do hatch may be weak or prone to health problems. Please see this article for more info on infertility in birds.
The sexes of Diamond Doves are not easy to determine by eye; in naturally colored birds, the males tens towards silver-grey and females appear brownish-grey. The male’s orange eye ring is 2-3 mm in width, the female’s is 1 mm. When they sit together you can see the difference (easier than measuring it!!). Pet trade color strains of doves are very difficult to distinguish, other than by behavior. Please check out my 2 part article on Diamond Doves for more info.
The 2 species will likely not get along; it’s sometimes possible if neither has a mate, but paired birds will attack others. It’s best to get a separate enclosure, as the proximity of the birds will be stressful to both species; you may not notice this, but internally the “fight and flight” hormones will be flowing. Sometimes even keeping the birds in the same room is stressful.
Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Thank you for replying, I will be getting a new cage for the diamond doves.
At the pet shop there was a barbary dove, I am waiting for the sex of it. If it is a male, will it fight with the other male? (he is almost four years old) or would it be harmonious if it a female, and would they mate? would it be stressful for the other female dove that I already have?
Thanks again
Hello Lana, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for the feedback.
They would not get along – paired doves of both sexes will attack others of either sex. Multiple pairs sometimes work in huge outdoor aviaries, but even then it takes constant monitoring and problems are common (another bird with a “peaceful” reputation, the lovebird, is even worse!). Usually its best to introduce potential groups when they are young and have not paired up yet …established pairs of almost any species rarely accept newcomers (I’ve seen tiny Lovebirds try to attack antelopes that shared their exhibit!)
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Thanks for advice been very helpful.
Funny enough after having the diamond doves in another cage, my two other doves hatched one of there eggs 🙂 it’s about 2 and a half weeks now and very cute.
I was wondering will i need to find the baby another cage or will it be fine to grow up with the others?
Lana
Hello Lana, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for the feedback and happy to hear all is going well. The parents will continue to feed the chick for awhile after it leaves the nest; however, they will usually attack it once they start to court and nest again. Hard to predict the timing, however, as if they do not nest right away all will be fine. Best to keep a close eye on them, or, to be safe, remove the chick once they stop feeding it.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
what is the highest temerature a dove can survive?
we live in Michigan and it’s winter now. My landlord wants to heat up my apartment because the neighbors have some sort of bug. I know that my bird cannot handle extreme temperture changes. What can I do?
Hello Kathy,
Thanks for your interest. Collared Doves can handle temperatures that would be considered warm/hot by human standards. Feral colonies are established in warm regions, including CA, FLA, north Africa, southern Italy and Taiwan. Heat-stressed birds will hold open the bill and pump their throats, and action known as gular flapping, so keep an eye out for that, but problems are unlikely. Avoid extremes – cold drafts in an otherwise warm apartment. Most municipalities have guidelines re heat supplied to apartments, so you may wish to look into that if you are concerned for your own health/comfort.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
Sorry I do not have a web site. I have a ring neck dove(java dove) She is 18 years old. She has been reasonably healthy. The last 2 days she is holding her head to the side as if to see me. She is dropping her head when she sleeps. Me vet feels that maybe she is ready to pass on. What do you think is going on?
Hello Mary,
Sorry to hear of the problem but that is an impressive age for a dove. I’m sure you have provided great care and a good life for her.
It’s difficult to access problems via those symptoms =- birds that lose sight in one eye will learn to maneuver their heads to allow for better vision – but a drooping head could be associated with a variety of problems. In my experience, the testing required to diagnose the condition would not be worth the stress placed on the bird; also, a number of neurological problems and others are not treatable. As your vet likely suggested, I would make the bird as comfortable as possible. I can refer you to a leading exotic animal vet with whom I have worked in zoos, and who consults via phone, etc., but I believe your vet’s advice to be reasonable.
Sorry I could not be of more help..please let me know if you need further info, and pl keep me posted,
best regards, Frank
Hello, we recently had a Eurasian Collared dove befriend us in our yard. After staying around for many days it flew into our house. Due to a wind storm we let her stay. She shows no interest in returning to the wild. We have taken her back out and inside again. We have no idea how to care for her, and I am concerned about her becoming depressed from being inside, however, also concerned about releasing her since she is extraordinarily friendly to human and animals. Wish we knew if keeping her is the right thing for her.
Hello Tracy,
It could be an escaped pet, but they are also established in many places outside the native range and quite able to survive on their own…knowing where you are located would give me a better idea, pl write back when you have a moment.
Their care is similar to as described here for Diamond Doves, but they need a bit more room. A local Wildlife rehabilitator may accept the bird, check and then release if appropriate; bird clubs also often have contacts or members who will do this. Please let me know if you’d like help finding a local rehabber.
Best, Frank
Hello Frank.
My two doves had two chicks that hatched about a week ago. One seems to be really small compared to the other one (about half or more it’s size).
I was wondering if there is something wrong with it? and if there is anything you would suggest doing to help it grow?
Thank you.
Lana
Hello Lana,
Nice to hear your news. It’s quite common for one chick to be larger and more vigorous, and to monopolize more of the parents’ attention at feeding time. With only 2 in the clutch, the smaller will usually survive, provided there are no underlying health/developmental problems. Doves are difficult to hand rear, due to the unique nature of the diet needed by the chicks. There are commercial dove rearing formulas on the market, but there are many considerations – time commitment, possibility of crop infections due to over-feeding, incorrect temperatures, stress, etc; in general it’s best to leave the chick in place and let the parents rear it, despite the possibility that it may not survive.
Good luck and pl keep me posted, Frank
Hi Frank
My back garden, in Cambridge, Ontario, has been adopted by what appears to me to be a tangerine pearled ring neck. This is the 5th day. It roosts in the Linden tree and spends most of the day perched in the artificial lilac tree that holds my bird feeders. It eats and drinks only when a single mourning dove visits to feed. Is it possible this is feral? I can get to within 3 feet of it before it flies back into the Linden tree. I am concerned that it is an escapee and its time will be limited fending for itself and avoiding the hawk that sails around at times. Should I be attempting to capture it and bring it in the house to live?
Ho Jo,
Thanks for your interest. Although odd colors/behaviors do stand out to predators, doves usually adapt well to outdoor life; their instincts are far more deeply rooted than captive influences. problems arise if the flight muscles have degenerated, but yours seems to be ok in that regard. In any event, capture would be difficult, as the foods used to lure it would also be taken by much bolder species that would enter the trap first. Pl keep me posted,
Best, Frank
Thank you for your reassurance, Frank. I hated the idea of stealing this beautiful dove’s freedom if it wasn’t necessary. I keep ample food and water available for the birds in winter so, if it decides to remain on a permanent basis, hopefully it will manage our cold temps. come November.
My pleasure…..It will manage an Ontario winter better than I! Seriously, as long as not suddenly thrust outdoors in winter it should adapt. Temperate zone birds have internal body temps of 110 F or so, can shunt blood to and from places where needed, trap air in feathers to insulate, etc…I used to marvel at various species in the zoo, roosting in winter outdoors in snow, when i arrived for work at 5:00 AM, freezing despite my best efforts. Pl keep me posted, enjoy, Frank
I am very impressed by your blog and responses to the questions posted! I am editor of a bird club newsletter – The Florida West Coast Avian Society’s Squawk Talk – and I would like to reprint this blog with some of the questions and answers with full credit. Thank you in advance.
Hi Amy,
Thanks for the kind words! Yes, that would be fine..please email at findiviglio@thatpetplac.com, I just need to provide a few details, best, Frank