Is this dove ill? (1 Viewer)

[DonnaK]

I just spotted this Mourning Dove on our deck. He was sitting there with one wing spread and he looked like he was chattering his beak. Other than that, there was nothing strange about him. He was eating ok and he flew to another feeder without any apparent problems.

Do you think it has something to do with the heat (91 deg F, today) or something else? I've never seen a bird do this before!

 

[Ian Hamiltan]

I just spotted this Mourning Dove on our deck. He was sitting there with one wing spread and he looked like he was chattering his beak. Other than that, there was nothing strange about him. He was eating ok and he flew to another feeder without any apparent problems.

Do you think it has something to do with the heat (91 deg F, today) or something else? I've never seen a bird do this before!

hi donna
could be the heat,i,d feel the same if i had my dinner in that heat8-P

 

[DonnaK]

hi donna
could be the heat,i,d feel the same if i had my dinner in that heat8-P

Yeah, it is a little warm out there |;|

The weird thing is, the other feeders in the yard are in the shade right now, as are 2 more bird baths out there - you'd think he'd go have a bath!

 

[Ian Hamiltan]

Yeah, it is a little warm out there |;|

The weird thing is, the other feeders in the yard are in the shade right now, as are 2 bird more baths out there - you'd think he'd go have a bath!

i bet the humidity,s a bit uncomfortable to say the least.

 

[DonnaK]

Surprisingly, it doesn't feel that humid out there... to me, anyway, I don't know about the birds.

 

[Mary Evelyn]

When they get the chance, birds do it all the time here.It's fine.

 

[DonnaK]

I've been thinking since - maybe he was just overheating. Doves aren't the brightest birds that we have visiting, so he probably didn't think to go to the tray in the shade.

I've seen birds stretch their wings out like that before, but not sit there for several minutes like that, which is what worried me a bit, I guess. Perhaps he was just trying to catch a breeze... airing his armpits as it were! hehe

Still not sure what the chattering thing was all about, though.

 

[KC Foggin]

93 when I walked in the door this afternoon and all three bird baths were almost dry so I would have to say the poor bird is definitely trying to cool down. I put the hose on mist and leave it on when it is this hot and you would be amazed at how quickly the birds take advantage of it.

 

[DonnaK]

93 when I walked in the door this afternoon and all three bird baths were almost dry so I would have to say the poor bird is definitely trying to cool down. I put the hose on mist and leave it on when it is this hot and you would be amazed at how quickly the birds take advantage of it.

Yeah, I've been freshening the bird baths regularly, too. I'll have to see if I can do something with our hose as it has a mist setting. I'm just amazed that the dove didn't even try to cool down in the bird baths (which are in the shade of the trees).

 

[Anthony Morton]

When they get the chance, birds do it all the time here.It's fine.

I tend to agree with Mary Evelyn and suggest that this dove was doing nothing more sinister than sunbathing. I've often seen pigeons doing it.

 

[Mary Evelyn]

I tend to agree with Mary Evelyn and suggest that this dove was doing nothing more sinister than sunbathing. I've often seen pigeons doing it.

Great to see you back Anthony :loveme:

We have lots of shady areas in our garden but often see the birds come out stretching their wings and bedding down into the gravel in full sun.I love watching them.I took this pic of a young Blackbird last year and it stayed there for 20 minutes.It was perfectly fit and recently the Woodpigeons were doing exactly the same,i watched them for a long time.

Mind you, here in the NorthEast you have to take the sun in, when you can as we don't get much.

I did read somewhere, that the Blackbirds get energy from the sun but can't remember where.

 

[DonnaK]

I tend to agree with Mary Evelyn and suggest that this dove was doing nothing more sinister than sunbathing. I've often seen pigeons doing it.

See, that would've been my assumption (if it hadn't been 91F/33C out there), but the chattering thing it was doing had me worried. Alls well that ends well, though.

 

[DonnaK]

I took this pic of a young Blackbird last year and it stayed there for 20 minutes.

Good timing you have there!

I'm actually from the UK and even with all the beautiful birds we have here in South Carolina, I still miss the blackbirds and their beautiful song in the mornings.

 

[Mary Evelyn]

Good timing you have there!

I'm actually from the UK and even with all the beautiful birds we have here in South Carolina, I still miss the blackbirds and their beautiful song in the mornings.

Hi DonnaK,the blackbirds were singing here at 4 this morning and you are so right.Such a beautiful song.

 

[Mary Evelyn]

See, that would've been my assumption (if it hadn't been 91F/33C out there), but the chattering thing it was doing had me worried. Alls well that ends well, though.

The bird would have gone to shade DonnaK had it been uncomfortable.Mind you, as KC Foggin stated they do like the sprinkler and here they use it whenever it's available.

 

[Sue Wright]

93 when I walked in the door this afternoon and all three bird baths were almost dry so I would have to say the poor bird is definitely trying to cool down. I put the hose on mist and leave it on when it is this hot and you would be amazed at how quickly the birds take advantage of it.

Hi Donna,

If your Mourning Doves are anything like our Collared Doves (they're obviously the same family) then they don't (normally) bathe in water as they prefer to wait until it rains, then hold up their wings, usually one at a time, to catch the rain and bathe that way.

So if it's still there and you're concerned about him/her, then I'd go along with KC's idea as that's the far more natural option for them - and - you could be doing it a really big favour! Good luck Donna.

Sue.

 

[DonnaK]

Hi Donna,

If your Mourning Doves are anything like our Collared Doves (they're obviously the same family) then they don't (normally) bathe in water as they prefer to wait until it rains, then hold up their wings, usually one at a time, to catch the rain and bathe that way.

So if it's still there and you're concerned about him/her, then I'd go along with KC's idea as that's the far more natural option for them - and - you could be doing it a really big favour! Good luck Donna.

Sue.

Thanks, Sue. He actually took off after about 10 mins or so, after a feed at the shaded feeders. I've been looking out for him (or any others that might be stressed by the heat), but so far it seems all clear.

The Mourning Doves here do bathe. They're actually quite amusing when they do as they're such copycats that once one does it, they all want in. It's quite funny to watch them all try to pile into one bath - especially when we have four baths out there!

 

[Sue Wright]

Thanks for that Donna. See, you learn a little more each day! I'm so pleased all is going well now and that it certainly seems to have recovered.

Thanks for letting me know about the bathing.

Sue.