Do Mourning Doves Relocate Their Chicks

Unlike some mammals that carry their offspring to new locations when threatened, mourning doves lack the physical ability to transport their babies.

Once hatched, the chicks remain in their original nest until they are ready to leave on their own.

When a dove nest suddenly becomes empty, the chicks have usually fledged, although predation or another type of nest failure is also possible.

The Most Likely Explanation: Natural Fledging

If your dove's nest is suddenly empty, the most probable scenario is that the chicks have successfully fledged.

Mourning dove chicks develop at a remarkably rapid pace, typically leaving the nest just 12 to 15 days after hatching.

Leaving the nest at this young age reduces the amount of time the chicks remain exposed to predators in the Mourning Dove's loosely constructed nest.

When mourning dove chicks first leave the nest, they may appear awkward and still somewhat fluffy.

They often cannot fly well initially and, according to Cornell Lab: Birds of the World, may spend considerable time on the ground or perched in low bushes.

Homeowners are often surprised by how suddenly this happens. One day the nest appears crowded, and the next day it is empty.

The young birds may still be close by, sitting quietly in a shrub, on a low branch, or in a sheltered spot on the ground.

Because Mourning Doves normally feed on the ground, seeing a young dove sitting there does not automatically mean it has been abandoned.

A feathered, alert fledgling is usually best left alone while the parents continue caring for it nearby.

The parents will typically stay nearby, continuing to feed the young while they strengthen their flight muscles and begin finding food on their own.

Alternative Explanations for Empty Nests

While natural fledging is the most optimistic explanation, other factors could account for suddenly empty mourning dove nests.

Predation unfortunately represents a significant threat to mourning dove families.

Common predators include cats, snakes, raccoons, crows, jays, squirrels, and various birds of prey.

The relatively flimsy construction of mourning dove nests makes them particularly vulnerable to these threats.

Predation does not always leave obvious evidence. A nest may appear undisturbed even after a predator has removed the chicks.

If the chicks in your nest were very young (under a week old), predation becomes a more likely explanation than successful fledging.

Strong winds, severe weather, human activity, or damage to the nest can also cause chicks to fall or otherwise lead to nest failure.

Adult Mourning Doves do not normally respond to danger by carrying their chicks to another nest.

If the nesting attempt ends, the adults may later build a new nest elsewhere, but they do not take the original chicks with them.

Empty Nest: What to Check

If you discover an empty mourning dove nest, take time to observe the surrounding area.

Look carefully for fledglings on the ground or in nearby vegetation. These young birds may still be present but hidden from casual view.

Watch from a distance so the adults feel comfortable returning. Look for a parent repeatedly flying to the same shrub, low branch, fence, or patch of ground.

Those brief visits may mean the adults are still feeding fledglings nearby.

Listen for the soft calls that parent mourning doves use to communicate with their offspring.

Check for signs of predator activity around the nest site.

Disturbed nesting materials, scattered feathers, or broken eggshells might indicate that predation occurred.

However, the absence of feathers or other visible evidence does not prove that the chicks fledged. Predators can remove young birds without noticeably disturbing the nest.

Exercise patience in your observations. Mourning doves are prolific breeders, often raising multiple broods throughout the breeding season.

Even if one nesting attempt fails, the adult pair frequently attempts to nest again, sometimes in the same general area.

How to Help

If you want to help mourning doves in your yard, consider providing a safe environment with minimal disturbances.

Keep cats indoors, maintain brush piles or low shrubs where fledglings can find cover, and avoid approaching active nests too closely.

Keep dogs and children away from any fledglings you find, and postpone trimming shrubs or moving objects near the nesting area until you are sure the young birds have left.

Do not pick up a feathered fledgling simply because it is sitting on the ground. If the bird is alert and can hop or flutter, its parents are probably still nearby.

A mostly bare, injured, weak, or cold chick may need help from a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Do not attempt to give it food or water unless instructed by a rehabilitator.

Remember that empty nests often represent success stories rather than tragedies.

Those awkward-looking chicks that seemed too young to leave may simply have taken their first short flight and settled into nearby cover, where their parents will continue caring for them.

Readers Digest Guide

Golden Guide

Your State Only

Nat-Geo Guide

Gene Planker is the creator of Wild-Bird-Watching.com, where he shares over 50 years of backyard birding experience. His guides help readers understand the nesting, feeding, and behavior of backyard birds.

Watch Birds From Your Phone
Great Gift for Birdwatchers!

Beako Smart Bird Feeder

Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel!