I have a mourning dove couple nesting and egg on my balcony flower box right now!! So cute!
May 12, 2008 Rating
re: nesting number 2 by: Anonymous
I have photographed the switch off between the male and female. They make a smooth transition where they sit next to each other and slide over. In the first nesting there was one fledgling and it was gone several days after it hatched. The mourning doves are now on their 2nd nesting. The first nest was poorly contructed, so they build a second. I have pictures of the 2 fledglings taken on Mother's Day. I saw their mom (smaller bird) feeding them.
May 12, 2008 Rating
Doves caring for nest by: Rosalie
Glad to find your site. My dove visitors had me concerned, father bird brought food regularly every day, and then was gone several days. My concern about the female's and eggs' survival increased. Their nest is in a precarious, unprotected situation due to the over-population of aggressive Grackles. The female sat through freezing and generally foul weather and looked pretty bedraggled. Then came another bird, who did not bring food, but sidled up close by, and took over after she flew away. Several more days passed, before another change off. I do not know if these are the original Mom/Dad pair.
Apr 02, 2008 Rating
Male and Female Switching Off by: Christina
I have figured out that the male and female do switch off. I noticed this because of two reasons 1) the size of the birds and 2) they face opposite directions sitting on the nest. The smaller bird stares into my apartment while the bigger bird looks out over the balcony. In this picture the bigger bird is looking out at the courtyard. Also the little water cup gets disturbed.
Apr 01, 2008 Rating
Lovely home by: CC
Your mourning dove has everything. I wonder if the mate takes turns on the nest? I have one nesting on top of a hurricane shutter which is underneath a patio roof, nicely protected, but I haven't seen her mate for 2 days. I wonder if he would normally be close by.
