Dove nest in South Florida

by Ria
(Tamarac, South Florida)

The chicks are almost ready to fly

Mourning doves nested in a Sabal Palm tree right outside our second floor office window. The female picked a great spot facing our window and sheltered by the building and the fronds of the palm tree. It was shady and out of sight from predators.

We had a perfect view of the birds and their chicks. I took pictures every weekday as we watched the little family grow. We were able to observe the parents switching positions on the nest each morning and the female providing food to the chicks from her mouth. While one parent was on the nest, the other was perched on a nearly light pole keeping guard.

At first we saw only one eggshell and one chick, but it soon was apparent that the second chick was just hidden a little from view. The two chicks grew so fast right before our eyes and after a while, they barely fit in the nest. We came into the office one Monday morning to find the chicks gone and the female preparing the nest for a new brood just a few days later.

I had started feeding a pair of doves in the parking lot about a year and a half ago. One of my co-workers also feeds them.

They have gotten to know me and they fly down to my car when I pull in my spot in the morning. They also spot me when I come out of the building before I get near my car and fly down in front of my feet.

I feed them black oil sunflower seeds and they now let me get really close to them during feeding.

We believe that the nesting doves are the same ones we feed. I noticed that only one dove at a time was feeding in the morning just about the same time the nest was built.

At first I was concerned to see only one dove, but then it made me happy to know that our little mated pair was still together and well and raising a family.