Collared Doves

[durulz]

For some time now we've had a family of collared doves feeding from our garden (I call them a family, but I'm not certain. It's what appears to be two adults and a smaller one that we think of as the baby. So we've called them a family).
They've got progressively bolder and friendlier. We started out putting down some seeds and bread crumbs for them. Firstly down the bottom of the garden, and then I thought I'd test the water by throwing crumbs for them closer each time. It got to the stage where they would feed just a few feet away.
They were a bit twitchy. Slow, careful movements and they would stay feeding where they were. A sudden movement and they would either run away or hop away a few feet - out of 'strike' distance.
But this morning I was eating my breakfast and one of them landed on the table next to me. I broke off a crumb of my toast and put it on the table. The dove took it. So I put down another piece, no more than a foot from me, and he took that as well. Then I thought I'd give it a go. I held out another piece, but this time I kept it in my hand. The dove took that as well!
I managed to feed a wild bird from my hand! This is not some towny pigeon who flutters around Trafalgar Square pestering tourists - we live in a rural area and so I expect they're not so comfortable being around humans.
It felt really good knowing that the animal trusted me. It was a double-edged sword though, because I also felt it would be infinitely safer being scared of humans (one can often hear the sound of shotguns in nearby fields).
I've been excited about the experience since it happened and I know I'm going to bore to death everyone I see today when I tell them about it. This forum just happens to be first.

 

[mace242]

We have two of them in our garden too that get really impatient if we let the bird tables run too low. The male will appear at the kitchen window and tap on the glass until we appear with the food. They won't come close enough for us to feed them by hand - I think they are a bit wary of the dogs, but they do know where to come for the best nosh. We also have some semi-tame blackbirds - one of them will gladly sit on the kitchen step and watch us going about our business until we decide to feed him. And we have a pheasant - who we call Sunday, as in Sunday lunch - who is a regular visitor to the garden. I think they can draw the line between predator and feeder as they all seem to know if I'm feeding them or gardening and will scarper if I don't have food on me. It is fun to get that close to nature, even if it is something as mundane as a garden bird.

 

[SimonM]

My son has just developed an interest in nature & birds in particular. He has just bought a bird feeder, which we have placed in front of the lounge window. Now we can sit and watch to our hearts content.

The feeder has been in place about a week now, and we are getting visits from collared doves and wood pigeons, but mainly house sparrows

Yesterday & this morning, son took the camera and sat taking pictures...

The feeding station - has meal worms, mixed seed, nuts, bird "cake" and a bath!...

One of our visitors...

Simon

 

[calibanzwei]

Re: Ring Necked Doves
I had a pair nesting behind a satellite dish that belonged to a downstairs neighbour (block of flats) - just by looking out the window and down, I was able to watch every stage of the chicks development including their first flight. So proud!