Dove Landed On My Shoulder

by Gene Mulligan
(Chicopee, MA)

Updated October 23, 2023

I Don't Know if you got my previous story about my new dove friend so I'm resubmitting.

How I Met My Dove Friend

I was filling my feeders one day back in late August.

There was a slight drizzle and I wanted to get back in the house and I noticed a mourning dove on the gazebo.

I decided to put some seed on the post for him when I looked back he was in flight and landed on my head.



I thought he may be disoriented so I shewed him away.

The next thing I knew he flew back and the dove landed on my shoulder!

I thought he might be someone's pet, so I leaned over and let him get on the post and I stayed there while he ate.

I started to go back in the house when the dove flew onto my wrist that was holding the cup of seed so I let him have some more.

When he had his fill he flew off into the neighbor's tree.

I have never heard of this.

When I told my wife she thought I was nuts, and so did everyone else I told.

The next day I was sitting in my gazebo when I heard wings whistling and I turned around and there he was on the rail.

I sat there and he flew onto the table.

I put the cup up to him to eat but he scurried away.

So, I put some seed on the table and he came over and started to eat.

I got up very slowly to leave him alone to eat because he seemed nervous.

I went back to the house and told my wife and pointed, but she still didn't believe me.

I thought if he was someone's pet why was he/she coming back?

The next day I called the Audubon Society but they couldn't tell me much.

They thought he was a Fledgling. Can you tell by the image?

When I looked out on my deck the next day, there were about 5 or so doves as usual.

When I opened the slider they all flew away but one, guess who he flew up and landed on my head.

Luckily for me, my wife was right behind me. She believes me now.

He comes back twice a day, sometimes three but now I go out on the deck with a cup of seed every day.

I see him leave the tree about 50 yards away and he lands right on my shoulder.

He has a mate now I think, I hope so.

I have many pictures of this mourning dove on my shoulder and on my knee while eating.

I have had to put up obstacles to protect him from the hawk but that's another story.