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I don't know where else to ask this. I had a morning bird make her nest, lay an egg and she would stay on the egg all day. Then when she would see me she would stretch out her little goose neck to look at me and check me out to make sure I wasn't a predator.
She had her baby I felt so happy for her Then came bad weather and everything else from other counties and she left. Her little baby bird was on the ledge half on and half off and the bluejay got it.
Now this year I was hoping they would return but apparently it is different morning dove. This one flies away as soon as I look out the window or open the door. He is a terrible nest maker and has to constantly fix the nest. Now this one has flown away for days then all of a sudden comes back. Why do they keep leaving the nest when a bluejay can come along and kill the little baby bird? I see them fly to the unit above me back and forth and now I see them fly to my unit but I can't see her or any baby bird yet. A little egg was on the bottom of my balcony in all the twigs they leave there but something broke it. I'm guessing a bluejay.
Why won't he stay on the nest during the day like the other Dove did last year? I don't understand how they can expect the baby to hatch when they leave the nest for such a long time.
Next year I will look on amazon and buy a well made little nest for next summer.
Status:
"I didn't do it, nobody saw me"
(set 9 days ago)
Location: Ocala, FL
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Never forget that while nature may seem cruel to you, this is not unusual. I have raised parrots for over 35 years and I have seen strange things. Don't attempt to buy a nest as the parent is much less likely to use it, they prefer to custom build/design it themselves in the wild.
First off, different species of birds employ different nesting and egg laying strategies. Some species are what is called "indeterminate" layers which means that they'll continue to produce an egg every 24 hours or so until they complete a clutch that satisfies them biologically. It could be 2, 3, 4, 5 or more eggs per clutch.
An example would be domestic chickens. Its why humans can keep gathering eggs every day but the bird will continue to lay more. Others will only lay a specific number of eggs. If any of them happen to get damaged or destroyed, they don't lay replacement eggs. They'll simply end up raising fewer chicks.
Mourning doves are determinate layers...a clutch is typically limited to 2 eggs.
There's a period of time between when a bird lays the first egg of a clutch and when they actually start incubating. One of the main reasons for this built in delay is so the eggs and chicks remain closer together in terms of development. The chicks will hatch at about the same time, start needing to be fed at about the same time, and they'll fledge at about the same time, making it much easier on the parents and minimizing the amount of time they are vulnerable to predators. If a nest is disturbed or destroyed before incubation starts, the birds are more likely to abandon it and start again with a new nest in a safer location. At that point, in terms of biological energy, it's better that the parent birds abandon and survive to start again, instead of risking predation by defending a nest that's probably doomed to fail. Once the parents have put in the energy to incubate and the longer they do so, they are more and more likely to defend a nest and any eggs.
Unless you marked your doves as individuals in some manner, there's no way to know if they are the same birds returning to that spot to try again. Some species return to nest in the same location (NOT necessarily the same exact nest) if they were successful raising a brood there previously. Mourning doves tend to return, but their nests are notoriously flimsy so probably don't survive the rest of the year well enough to be re-used. If they weren't successful, it's not very likely the same pair will return to try it again. Another pair might use that spot, but again, if they aren't marked you may never know. Other birds aren't loyal to a specific nest or spot.
Buying a human made nest might not attract anything, it might repel them. They may see that nest as a sign other birds have already claimed it and they may go elsewhere.
Leave them alone to build their own nest. The more you disturb the site the less likely birds will nest successfully. YOUR activity around the nest may attract predators. Leave them alone! Some materials humans might choose to make an artificial nest might not be suitable for outdoor use or be unsafe for nestlings.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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We have a nest of Oregon Junkos 1-2 times a year, and few babies ever make it to fly away. They tend to use our potted plants or window planters, and build a nest under the leaves. We'll peek in and see the eggs, then the babies. Almost always they start get their feathers but are not nearly ready to fly when they are gone, and there is a telltale black feather or two from the crow(s) that ate them. Very few birds are able to fend off a jay, and the mother has to go get food for the babies and leave the nest alone. It's sad to see the birds to go to all that trouble with no end result, but that's nature. We also have wild cottontail rabbits around the yard, and we see the adorable babies, usually 4-6 of them. With the coyotes and bobcats we only see about 1/3 of them grow up.
It's sad to see the birds to go to all that trouble with no end result, but that's nature. We also have wild cottontail rabbits around the yard, and we see the adorable babies, usually 4-6 of them. With the coyotes and bobcats we only see about 1/3 of them grow up.
Yes, it is sad to see babies you've been lucky enough to observe (gotten to know) not make it, but technically, all a pair of animals needs to do is replace themselves to keep their population stable. The more energy the parents invest in protecting/caring for young, the fewer of them they tend to produce. The odds are greater that those more carefully nurtured young will survive to reach breeding age. Species that don't provide any parental care tend to broadcast dozens, hundreds or thousands of young into the world in the hopes that any survive.
I can't tell the difference between male and female but that one bird from last year that was always on the nest during the day was so different from all the others this year. She got to know me as not being a threat. But this year they fly away so fast when I open glass door to see if it is cold outside. I can't see him or her in the top corner from that glass door but I can in the corner of the other door window. I miss that one from last year. I do understand nature is harsh but as much as I want to help them I won't buy a nest. I let them build their nest now so I will keep letting them do that.
Some of the residents here hate birds so much that one man said since the HOA won't get rid of the birds then he will put out dry rice for them to eat. As far as I know rice will kill them I want so much to report him but who would I report him to? I don't know if Morning Doves are a protected species. I did find out a resident near him hung a bird feeder outside her condo so that explains why he was so upset. I don't pu food out for them there are plenty of trees for them to get food. Unfortunately many have their nests destroyed from the landscapers.
I now only go outside where the nest is every 3 months to replace the filter for the HVAC and to have that cleaned once a year plus have the dryer vent cleaned out too. So at least I am giving them as much privacy as I can. I will try to have both done in one day so as not to disturb them to frequently on more than one day.
I saw a baby bird last year and it was in the corner on the floor in all the twigs the parents kept there for the baby when old enough to be out of the nest. What a funny and cute looking little bird. That little beak was so long on that little fat body LOL. Best part I got to see that one last year fly away I have not seen them outside flying back and forth to the nest by me or up above to what I assume to be another nest. Not much sun outside now so maybe that is not why. Friday and yesterday I was sick and never got to peak at the corner or watch them from inside with the blinds open a crack. Nothing today I hope that man isn't killing the all.
Next year I will look into putting a camera out there so I can watch them without disturbing them. I will put it out when they are not there and aim it right at the nest. They usually come around by me in April so I better make sure its there and working February or March.
Status:
"I didn't do it, nobody saw me"
(set 9 days ago)
Location: Ocala, FL
6,495 posts, read 10,384,833 times
Reputation: 7962
While I agree that mounting a camera aimed at the nest but not in the nest itself is a better choice, don't forget that if the parents build/rebuild the nest in a different area, you will need to relocate the camera. Some wild birds are more tolerant than others of humans, there are no guarantees. Best wishes.
I can't tell the difference between male and female but that one bird from last year that was always on the nest during the day was so different from all the others this year.
Some of the residents here hate birds so much that one man said since the HOA won't get rid of the birds then he will put out dry rice for them to eat. As far as I know rice will kill them I want so much to report him but who would I report him to? I don't know if Morning Doves are a protected species.
Mourning doves are minimally dimorphic: males tend to have patches of iridescent purple/pink on their necks and the crown of their head is bluish/gray unlike the female's. Because the color is iridescent light usually has to hit at the right angle to see the differences.
Both parents take turns incubating eggs and caring for chicks, not just one.
Yes, mourning doves are protected by both state and federal law. Literally all NATIVE species are!
As for the cruel neighbor(s) planning to feed uncooked rice to birds, they're believing in an old wives tale. Birds can safely eat uncooked rice. You do realize many birds eat wild rice and other uncooked seed grains, right? OK, uncooked rice is hard and yes, it will absorb moisture from the bird's crop and gizzard, but so will other seed grains. A bird's metabolism is really fast and their digestive acids very efficient to keep up with that metabolism. Chances are the rice will be ground up by the gizzard, metabolized and excreted before it can cause much trouble. Obviously if commercial white rice is the only thing the bird eats that could pose a problem not because it will swell, but because it is incomplete nutritionally. Don't believe me? Just one of many info sources:
Mourning doves are minimally dimorphic: males tend to have patches of iridescent purple/pink on their necks and the crown of their head is bluish/gray unlike the female's. Because the color is iridescent light usually has to hit at the right angle to see the differences.
Both parents take turns incubating eggs and caring for chicks, not just one.
Yes, mourning doves are protected by both state and federal law. Literally all NATIVE species are!
As for the cruel neighbor(s) planning to feed uncooked rice to birds, they're believing in an old wives tale. Birds can safely eat uncooked rice. You do realize many birds eat wild rice and other uncooked seed grains, right? OK, uncooked rice is hard and yes, it will absorb moisture from the bird's crop and gizzard, but so will other seed grains. A bird's metabolism is really fast and their digestive acids very efficient to keep up with that metabolism. Chances are the rice will be ground up by the gizzard, metabolized and excreted before it can cause much trouble. Obviously if commercial white rice is the only thing the bird eats that could pose a problem not because it will swell, but because it is incomplete nutritionally. Don't believe me? Just one of many info sources:
Ah then it's mainly I keep seeing the female dove. The dull looking color one. I think I only saw the male maybe twice. It is hard to always get a good look unless they see me peeking through the blinds in the corner then they stop for a minute to look at me then I can see the color better. They land on the ledge then walk up to the corner and add to the nest, I think that is what they are doing. Geez they are so adorable and the closest I will have to almost having pets. I never thought about that with the seeds. Come to think of it rice is a lot like a seed but I kept thinking the rice would expand from inside of them and kill them. That is an old wives tale I believed too Now that you told me this I feel much better about them being safe from him thank you for putting my mind at ease. I didn't see any of them flying back and forth from the trees to the corner ledge but that might be because it was not a nice day outside today. And BTW I had to look up that word dimorphic LOL never heard that word until now.
While I agree that mounting a camera aimed at the nest but not in the nest itself is a better choice, don't forget that if the parents build/rebuild the nest in a different area, you will need to relocate the camera. Some wild birds are more tolerant than others of humans, there are no guarantees. Best wishes.
So far two years in a row they picked this same spot. I won't do anything until winter comes and I know they are gone then I will remove the old nest and twigs. I will have a company come and clean out there especially on the ledge since it is getting a bit dirty. I will tell them it must be animal friendly.
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Then came bad weather and everything else from other counties and she left. Her little baby bird was on the ledge half on and half off and the bluejay got it.
Now that you told me this I feel much better about them being safe from him thank you for putting my mind at ease. I didn't see any of them flying back and forth from the trees to the corner ledge but that might be because it was not a nice day outside today. And BTW I had to look up that word dimorphic LOL never heard that word until now.