# Nest of some sort for doves?



## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

Hi everyone,

I have many feral doves in my garden but I've noticed there are a lot of rats walking around in the bushes and trees! So when they build their nests in the trees they are in definite danger (plus there are stray cats here). The doves like to nest on the walls of the house itself so I would like to build some nest boxes of sorts for them, which will offer them protection from rats and hawks/kestrels. Do doves like the closed box-like sort with round holes or I've seen people use pipes cut and fixed to the wall? What's the best I can do for these birds? Any help would be much appreciated (of course like everyone else here, I love photos!  )


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi 

Not sure what kind of doves you mean - feral pigeons aka rock doves, or Eurasian collared doves?

Pigeons would maybe nest in boxes, once they get used to seeing them and decided to investigate (pair on my balcony took months before trying out a box for size). Doves, as in the wild-living garden variety, I have not ever read of taking to boxes - but in trees, niches in walls (i.e., a ledge), windowsills (even scaffolding or trafficlights on poles!). Not to say it never happens, though.

Pigeons would use an open fronted box, maybe 12 x 12 x 12 inches. Doves would generally go for somewhere sheltered but quite open, as I suggest above.

The kind you mention would probably only be attractive to songbirds.

John


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

Hi John_D, thanks for your reply.

You're right about doves, I've seen them nest on ledges and windowsills.

I made a box with four sides, attached it to the wall under a sheltered place by my front door (a porch of sorts) and one of my resident doves (Senegal doves) went into it straight away. A reason for this may be because she had a nest there before.

Something I've noticed about Senegal doves is they nest almost anywhere. I made a hole in the wall for a boiler chimney and not long after some doves built a nest there. Anyway I think this makeshift design works so I will do some more for the other doves. Thanks for the info on the other sort of nest box!


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## wolfwood (Jan 26, 2009)

I would suggest - since you're building this - that you put a low lip on the open front. Just enough to keep an egg or baby from rolling out.


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

Thanks for the tip Wolfwood!


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