Doves On Skinny Ledge

Doves On Skinny Ledge

by Laura
(Florida)

To my surprise I have a couple of doves nesting on a very slim ledge on top of one of the tall pillars that stands by our front door.

There is hardly room to turn around on it and the male has been bringing twigs to the female since yesterday.

The twigs fall to the ground and he starts again. I am surprised because we have dogs that go in and out of the door all day.

They don't seem to notice.

Today there is another pile of twigs and palm tree fibers on the ground by our entrance way, but they are still trying! Is there anything I can do?

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Doves On Skinny Ledge

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May 16, 2008
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Same here
by: Toni

While our house was under construction 4 years ago, a pair kept trying to nest in the exposed rafters. The contractor felt bad, but kept having to knock the nest down. Once the house was complete, we hoped they'd come back - and they did. For 3 years, they kept trying to build a nest atop the housing of the ceiling fan on our patio. The housing is domed (and slippery), so every twig they placed would just slide off. They never picked up the same twig ("duh, that one didn't work"), but would return with another. Eventually they'd give up and nest somewhere else (we assume), but each spring they'd return to the fan and try again. This year, finally, they built a nest atop the vent for our gas fireplace. (It's going to be fun trying to get the poop and twigs out of the vent before winter.) It extends only about three inches from the wall, and is only about eight inches wide. Quick as a wink, there were two babies... they grew so fast that mom and dad had a hard time "setting" them on that skinny ledge. Last night mama lured them off the nest to the ceiling fan blades to feed them. The three of them spent the night on the fan. When we came home from work today, all were gone... but we know they'll be back, and this time we'll be ready with a nesting shelf! (I have tried every year to entice them to a location other than the ceiling fan... have purchased and constructed all sorts of alternatives, but they never showed any interest. Hoping if we put a shelf atop the vent, they'll take to it.)

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May 16, 2008
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Submitted by: Toni

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While our house was under construction 4 years ago, a pair kept trying to nest in the exposed rafters. The contractor felt bad, but kept having to knock the nest down. Once the house was complete, we hoped they'd come back - and they did. For 3 years, they kept trying to build a nest atop the housing of the ceiling fan on our patio. The housing is domed (and slippery), so every twig they placed would just slide off. They never picked up the same twig ("duh, that one didn't work"), but would return with another. Eventually they'd give up and nest somewhere else (we assume), but each spring they'd return to the fan and try again. This year, finally, they built a nest atop the vent for our gas fireplace. (It's going to be fun trying to get the poop and twigs out of the vent before winter.) It extends only about three inches from the wall, and is only about eight inches wide. Quick as a wink, there were two babies... they grew so fast that mom and dad had a hard time "setting" them on that skinny ledge. Last night mama lured them off the nest to the ceiling fan blades to feed them. The three of them spent the night on the fan. When we came home from work today, all were gone... but we know they'll be back, and this time we'll be ready with a nesting shelf! (I have tried every year to entice them to a location other than the ceiling fan... have purchased and constructed all sorts of alternatives, but they never showed any interest. Hoping if we put a shelf atop the vent, they'll take to it.)

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Apr 18, 2008
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Re - Skinny Ledge
by: Martyn

Hi Laura, same thing with the doves on my satellite dish there was more twigs on the ground then on the dish, but they will get there in the end, you got to admire them the way they work in harmony in building there nests and I'm amazed at the small amount of twigs and other materials they use on the finished nest.
The wonders of nature.
Regards Martyn