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Saturday, June 2, 2012
Mourning Doves sit on their eggs for about 2 weeks, feed the babies in the nest for about 2 weeks and then care for their young for about a month after they've fledged. Both male and female mourning doves share in incubating and feeding their young. I'm sure it will be any day now before you see little peepers.
Mourning doves are monogamous, and can stay together through the winter. Before mating, males perch and give a courtship "coo". Females sit near the male on his display perch, and then the male begins an elaborate series of courtship maneuvers. If the female approves, males begin selecting a nest site a few days later.
Nest construction takes over ten hours and covers a span of three to four days. The male gives the female dove the sticks and she weaves them into their nest. Female mourning doves generally lay two small, white eggs in their open nest and then rarely leave it unattended. The male usually incubates from mid-morning until late afternoon, and the female sits the rest of the day and night.
When not nesting, they generally eat enough to fill their bi-lobed crops and then fly back to digest. The bird's crop is a large sac at the bottom of the esophagus. In some southern states, the Mourning Doves nest almost year round because they feed their young “crop milk,” a fluid from the lining the crop. The parents regurgitate the "milk" directly into the hatchling's mouth and throat.
After two weeks of incubating the eggs and then two weeks of feeding the babies in the nest, the young fledge but continue to stay nearby and beg for food until they are more accomplished at flying, usually at about 30 days old.
Mourning doves are not picky eaters but feed more comfortably on feeders with large perching areas. Ground feeders, tray feeders and hopper feeders all allow room for doves to perch. They eat a variety of seeds, insects, and berries. Any bird seed blend with a lot of sunflower seeds would be a good choice to attract doves.
After they feed, swallowing lots of seeds and storing them in an enlargement of the esophagus called the crop; they fly to a safe perch to digest slowly.
After they feed, swallowing lots of seeds and storing them in an enlargement of the esophagus called the crop; they fly to a safe perch to digest slowly.
We have had them on our front porch for about 4 summers now,but I couldn't remember the time frame for the hatching. They do share duties as we have learned to tell the difference of who is on the nest. : ) I feel better knowing that they weren't possibly 2 bad eggs : ( That would be hard. We will announce their arrival : ) Thank You
Related Articles:
- Why is the Dove a Symbol of Peace? http://bit.ly/wMKEKF
- How Do You Keep Doves From Dominating a Feeder? http://bit.ly/zDAwR2
- How Mourning Doves defend their nests http://bit.ly/LiE7TH
- Do Birds Sip or Slurp? http://bit.ly/N6syCY
- Common Backyard Bird Nest Identification http://bit.ly/N6sL9h
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