Dove Nesting; Spiritual Reassurance
by Catherine Lake
(Merced, CA)
Father overlooking mother on nest.
Doves can offer Spiritual Reassurance
Three years ago a pair of morning doves built their nest in our back yard arbor which is less than 6 feet from our kitchen sliding glass door. They raised their young.
What amazed us is we have 3 small dogs and are very active, using the sliding glass door into the back yard continuously daily.
A pair of morning doves came back a few weeks ago to the very same spot on the arbor. The arbor is about 24 feet in length and they built in the exact same spot. We water with a sprinkler daily.
We have two very large elevated bird feeders on both ends of the back yard as well.
Reading this article Mourning Dove Habits made us realize why they choose this spot.
They have ample food and water sources available. They also are high off the ground.
Beautiful Dove With Her Young
We surely did think the mother was sitting relentlessly on her eggs and now babies.
It seemed improbable, but never crossed our minds that the male was switching out as the "sitter".
We truly enjoyed this article. I have been fascinated with these doves both times they Graced us with their nesting.
We feel it is a Spiritual sign, a reassurance from the Great One that patience, perseverance, and endurance will bring our goal to fruition.
Our most sincere thanks for the article.
Tell Us Why Doves Are Hanging Around Your House
Use the comment box below and tell us what doves mean to you.
Eating Safflower Seeds
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New Life
by Stella T.
(Rcho Cucamonga,CA)
New Life
I was surprised to see the first doves nesting outside my front door. Some days they could both be seen by the nest and others only 1 dove was in the nest.
One of the doves was skittish and flew off as soon as I opened the front door which scared the daylights out of me at first.
I probably wouldn't have noticed the nest except that one day there was a small cracked bird egg on the front patio floor. That's when I looked up and saw the doves.
They picked a nice nesting area there because it is protected from wind and sun and can get rather warm since the front door area is facing west.
After the first baby dove flew off on its own, I still spotted it hanging around but I haven't seen it lately.
Currently, the doves are on their 2nd brood of 2 babies. Very Cute. I am attaching a picture of one of the parents and the 2 babies. I have to figure out a way to set up a feeding area for them.
I'll miss them if they leave since I say Good Morning and Good Night to them each day.
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Update on New Life
by Stella
(Rancho Cucamonga, CA)
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The two babies are growing so fast!
I found a nice blue bird bath for my front planter area and decided to put a small running water bamboo feature in it since I read that Mourning Doves like running water.
I also put up a hanging bird feeder with a dove recipe feed for them. I think they like it because they seem to hanging out a little more than before!
Here are a couple of new pictures. I have a feeling the babies will be flying off soon, but maybe they will return to their new safe haven until they find a new one of their own.
Visitors Comments
Average Rating 5 Stars
Sep 08, 2010
Rating 5 Stars
So Cute!
by: Kelly & Sammy
Sammy and I love looking at the pictures and making birdie sounds as we talk about the baby doves at Auntie's house! We love it! xoxox
Sep 06, 2010
Rating 5 Star
Two babies
by: Carolyn
It's wonderful to see the two little ones beside their parent - what a great photo! Thank you so much for sharing; pictures truly add to the enjoyment for others. Thanks again!
Sep 06, 2010
Rating 5 Stars
Doves
by: Marianne
Thanks for sharing your story. What a great picture with the two little ones peering over the edge.
Doves are just wonderful and in your good hands they will thrive.
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A Dove Story
by AnnMarie
(Michigan)
Nesting in the Fake Basket
We have lived in our house going on 11 years. Every Spring the Doves nest in one of my hanging pots just a few feet off my back porch.
I call this a Dove story because before we owned the house my mother did, and the Doves came every year.
These Doves are not picky, I even make their basket for them (so they don't ruin my flowering ones) with a few leaves and branches from the yard.
They don't care, they still nest and usually twice from early spring to late June. We do enjoy watching them switch duties and then feed their chicks.
They don't mind sharing our deck with us at all. Even our dog doesn't seem bothered by them...just part of his yard.
Here are a few picks
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Our Spring Babies 2010
by Dan & Debbie Ventrola
(Perkasie, PA)
Mom & Babies a day before they left
We had just planted flowers for the Spring/Summer season. On our porch we added a beautiful bright hanging plant to add to the color of the season.
Within two days of the plant being on our porch, we noticed the top was separated. We climbed up on a chair and took a look inside.
Sure enough, a nest had been started. So, we let nature takes it's course.
Our babies were born on April 29, 2010. Every day we would check to see if the eggs hatched yet. Surprisingly enough, Mom & Dad Dove were not afraid of us at all.
They let us approach the nest every day. We went in and out of our house. They had no problem with our dog barking, we even weeded and spread mulch and they didn't flinch.
Once the eggs hatched, it was awesome to watch.
Before we looked up information on your website, we thought that one dove was with the nest all the time.
It was really neat to learn that both parents are involved in the parenting. So, every day we watched them grow and watched their habits. It was a really cool experience.
The parents started leaving the babies alone for a few hours each day, a few days before they left the nest. We took a lot of pictures. I will attached a few with this story. The babies left the nest on May 14th.
My husband and I were hoping to be watching when they left, but they flew away while we were having dinner. We have seen them since. We have bird feeders in our backyard and they have come back to eat. Great experience.
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Dove Friendship
by Peggy C. Skinner
(Ontario, Canada)
Lovey Dovey's Return
A mourning dove fell from a nest in the maple in our backyard. The parents hung around but I thought I would set something up to protect him from predators.
I placed a patio umbrella in the far corner, near the nest and hung a plant pot, with lots of dirt in it, under the umbrella.
His parents could easily access him from where they sat on our fence yet no overhead predators could see him. I put seed and fresh water in the pot daily. I handled him and took many photos of his progress. The parents stayed and continued to bring him food as well.
After 2 weeks he was attempting to fly. I kept swooping him into the air but still low to the ground so he wouldn't hurt himself if he stumbled.
Eventually he started to fly about the yard. And each night I returned him to the pot. In the morning I would find him on the ground again.
Needless to say my cats were not allowed in the backyard at this time. They were not amused at being housebound.
One day we went to the Toronto Zoo and when we returned late evening, he was gone, nowhere around. I searched everyday for him to no avail.
I was heartbroken, thinking a predator may have got a hold of him. I could only hope that he had gained the strength and ability to fly and stay safe.
Each and everyday I went outside in hopes he had returned even though I knew it was foolish to believe a wild bird would come back.
About 2 weeks after he had disappeared, my husband was mowing the back lawn and called me outside. He said, "I think your dove is back". I had named him 'Lovey Dovey' and called him that each time I approached him. I spoke to him constantly during the time he was with me.
When I saw the dove on the fence, I called out, "Lovey Dovey, is that you?" He tilted his head toward my voice.
I couldn't believe it might be him. I sat on the grass and called again. He came over from the fence and sat on the grass a few feet from me.
He continued to walk towards me slowly and then flew onto my shoulder and then into my lap.
He stayed and allowed me to pet him. After a visit of about 20 minutes he flew back to the fence and sat for awhile.
I kept talking to him and eventually he turned and flew away as I called out my goodbyes.
It was the most amazing experience and had a profound effect on me. I took photos from when he was nothing but quills and fluff to when he came back to visit. The posted pic is of his return.
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Doves trying to become part of our family
by Rebecca Salquist
(Riverside california)
Such a proud MaMa
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My Doves, as I like to refer to them have given our family much joy through the years.
They first started nesting on our covered porch in our hanging plants, they would usually just have one brood and then I would await their arrival the following year.
Well this year my darling dove is on her third brood. What's different this year is how close she has nested to our front door.
She greats me every time I open and close my front door, as she is so close I could easily reach out and touch her, she always looks at me and I softly talk to her and she has no fear of me or our family at all.
Another thing that is different is she is on her third brood, we watch her teach the babies to fly in our nearby fountain garden, our family including our grandchildren, watch from a nearby window, they have kept us entertained amongst the isolation of the stay at home orders.
Once she and her mate have their babies flying she is back on the nest with another brood. I have come to love these little birds as they make no mess and are a joy to watch.
She's as close to being inside our home as she could be. I think of her as one of our pets, like our little dog Andy as part of our family.
When I photograph her with her babies she looks so proud, almost as if she's poising for the photos.
I hope you enjoy some of the photos I have included.
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Healing Process:The Mourning Doves
by Ashley Durham
(Wilmore, KY, USA)
Dad & Mom Exchanging Places
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This year, 2020 has been especially difficult for my family. I lost both my father and younger brother within two moths of each other.
Following that tragedy, the pandemic hit. This was a difficult time for millions across the world and for me I was still mourning the loss of my family.
During this time I became especially interested in birds. Living in Kentucky the Cardinal, our state bird, took on a new symbolic meaning to me.
Maybe it was my loved ones visiting. With each spotting I became hopeful, even if it was a fleeting moment: which made me more observant/submersed into the world of birds.
This is when I had my first encounter with Mourning Doves.
The quiet beauty and loving nature of the bird grew my attention once we noticed a nest built strategically on top of our arbor, sheltered by the edge of a roof from the building attached.
Being amateur animal enthusiast anyways and with little to do since confined to our homes, we took an interest in this mama and daddy bird who worked together to successfully raise FOUR sets of broods/fledglings (the fourth is underway currently).
Your website was very informative and helped feed our curiosity for what we call our new “neighbors”, whom we joined each afternoon as we relaxed underneath the arbor.
Each day and night it was amazing to watch and learn about their patterns. From the meet up and exchange between the father and mother to watching the fledglings feeding deep inside their mother's mouth.
My husband who took an special liking to our friends, restored an antique bird bath left on the property by my late father who loved watching the birds each morning.
So he added a drip irrigation head and timer to refill clean and fresh water throughout the day.
We also purchased a bird feeder filled with their favorites and positioned it in a close tree.
However we found that more Cardinals and Blue Jays enjoyed this more and of course we had to device a few systems to keep squirrels from ransacking it; that was a challenge.
I didn’t know what joy could come from watching these birds.
It felt peaceful watching each of their fledglings grow and still stay around, as if to stay with their family.
Watching even the dad Dove play such an important role was healing. Even in winged creatures the intricacies of family are vital.
I don’t know what I'll do once this mother bird decides she's done for this season.
But I do know that the Mourning Dove has helped me mourn my loved ones who've made me into the person I am today and for that...I'm grateful.
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Doves of Good Fortune
(Phillips Ranch,CA)
Home Sweet Home Mom Dad Baby Dove
About a week ago I was leaving my house and I noticed a bunch of twigs in my entry way above my door.
To my surprise it was a set of turtle doves. At first I was trying to figure out if there were any eggs in the nest.
The next morning I saw the nest had grown bigger and there was a bird sitting in the nest.
I quickly noticed another bird watching closely near by.
All I could think about was the horrific mess they would bring to my front porch.
As the days went by, I realized I couldn't wait to see them in the mornings when I walked the dog and in the evening just before dusk.
I began taking pictures of our newly adopted bird family.
I instantly fell in love when I saw two little heads sticking out from under the mom.
I decided to go out and visit a friend who lives close to the casino.
I missed my friends freeway exit, thinking about how I was about to go buy a bird feeder and other little treats for our new family members.
While out and about, I decided to go try my luck for an hour at the casino. My friends were telling be about the good blessings attached to our beautiful little turtledoves.
Well, it must be something to that because I walked out of the casino 2 hours later $20,000 richer..I am loving my little gems of good fortune.
Lessons to Be Learned
by Joanne De Stefano
(Utica, New York)
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The many nooks and crannies of our roof lines have made the perfect home for many bird nests, the most usual of which have been robin nests.
Their habits are pretty much predictable. As we have observed the stages of nest building, the male and female share in the building of their babies' home.
As I watch, I quickly see the many ways in which we could learn from their habits.
The softest material is brought in first to make the bottom of the nest cushioned and warm and from this I learn that it is so important to create a warmth and comfort to all those who enter our home.
They then gather just the right amount of various sizes of twigs and some with mud gathered from the last nights gentle rain.
This tells me to keep my home organized and uncluttered!
Our newest tenants, however, have been the mourning doves. We first observed them on the edge of the back fence contemplating the logistics of their new home.
" Do you think this is the place,?" whispers the female. " Looks good to me," exclaimed the male.
For the next few days, they would return to the fence once again and look at the perfect spot tucked into the eave of the porch.
Their nest-building has been far less of an intense task than that of the robin.
The soft pieces of grass encircled another on the bottom but the twigs have been loosely spread out in a free-spirited style!
The female has far less visits from the male according to our observations and was alone most of the time.
Our porch ceiling fan became the 'runway' in which the male dove carried in its' mouth the finishing touches while scurrying into the nest to prepare for its' young.
The time had finally come and in a few days we saw new babies searching for their food until at last they were strong enough to fly to freedom! And we thought this was it!
But, no, two weeks later the female is still not moving from the nest.
We hope it's okay because she is moving and has changed her position in this rather cramped nest.
Just not quite sure, I called a friend who is always 'in the know'.
"Star, ( what a perfect name for this quest) we have a mourning dove in a nest that has been there for a good two and a half weeks since hatching", I said.
"Not to worry," exclaims Star. This is called ' brooding.' I had no idea but I did breath a sigh of relief!
We hadn't seen the male return...until today, about three weeks later, when I see the two of them in the nest together and was startled to hear the familiar mourning dove sound for a split second.
I continue to await on what's coming next but will end my story with a lesson learned.
" Be patient, sit tight and learn the discipline of the essence of time!"
