Doves in Hanging Plant
by Bonnie
(Bedford, TX)
My baby dove
I noticed a mourning dove in my hanging planter a while back but did not pay any attention to it - just thought it was finding something to eat. The basket hangs from the eave of my sunroom and is fairly well shaded. Well I now know it was building a nest in the basket.
Yesterday morning I was out there and the dove was sitting in the planter again and to my astonishment, there were two baby dove. Mama sat for quite a while but left and was gone a long time - I checked later at night and she still wasn't back, leaving those poor babies on their own. I was afraid maybe I had scared her off. However, this morning she was back and has been there most of the morning.
Does anyone know how old they are before they try to fly - they are only about 6 inches long right now but they do have feathers, eyes open and seem to be moving around.
Mama sometimes sits on top of them. She had one wing held out over them and I guess she was protecting them from the sun. Sometimes she perches on the side of the basket and I assume she is feeding them then.
This is the first time I have had nesting dove and so know very little about them and would appreciate any information anyone can give me. I hope they come back every year. This has been an incredible experience.
I hope I get to see them fly away. I have posted pictures of the two babies - aren't they precious.
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