# baby mourning dove not wanting to eat



## heksa (Jun 3, 2009)

Hi, a few days ago my husband found a baby dove on the ground while mowing the grass. We are trying to take care of it. I know how crucial it is to keep it warm. I also bought baby bird formula ... but the bird isn't very eager to eat and I can't tell if it's eating at all. It seems to me like it is sucking and swallowing some, but I don't see any crop growing. Its poop is rather green, bright green yesterday ... today it was somewhat darker and more solid. It was at its worst condition yesterday, it got out of its nest and become cold. Telling the truth, I think it was minutes from dying … bringing its body temperature higher made all the difference. I brought the little guy with me to work today, so I can make sure it’s warm and cozy. I do not know about that eating though. Is it OK to wait until the baby wants to eat or should I force it on him/her? How can I tell if it's eating? It shakes his head often and sometimes I see bubbles coming out of his nose(?) while eating, does it mean it's choking or inhaling food? I do see its throat moving like if it was swallowing sometimes. Do you guys have any advice?

Also, I'm attaching a picture of him/her.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

It looks like an inca dove which are ground doves, it's parents were probably near by and were feeding it, so it would of been best to leave it alone, but now it needs something, I would try to give him some small seeds and pop them in his beak. others will be along to help better than I can. where are you located as there may be a rehaber with knowledge near you.


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## heksa (Jun 3, 2009)

spirit wings said:


> It looks like an inca dove which are ground doves, it's parents were probably near by and were feeding it, so it would of been best to leave it alone, but now it needs something, I would try to give him some small seends and pop them in his beak. others will be along to help better than I can. where are you located as there may be a rehaber with knowledge near you.


We live in Indiana, I don't think we have inca doves here. The bird would have gotten run over by the mower if my husband didn't pick it up, but I wish we could have given it back to the parents. We have a wild animal center around here, we've taken some birds there before. I just wanted to try to care for it myself. I was worried they give those baby birds we bring them to the owl they keep there at the animal center.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

heksa said:


> We live in Indiana, I don't think we have inca doves here. The bird would have gotten run over by the mower if my husband didn't pick it up, but I wish we could have given it back to the parents. We have a wild animal center around here, we've taken some birds there before. I just wanted to try to care for it myself. I was worried they give those baby birds we bring them to the owl they keep there at the animal center.


Their range is more southern, it just looked so small to me. I would take the dove to the animal center, because it could get malnourished and even die if your not able to get him to be fed, wild doves are the harder of the young birds to deal with.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Do take the baby to the wildlife care center. 
Those centers most often buy frozen mice that they feud to the Birds of Prey.
They are equipped to get food into the baby and check to see if it's sick.
Also, when it's time to be released, they likely will have others that the bird can be released with which will increase it's chances of survival. 
Also, I think it may be illegal for you to keep it beside the fact that the bird will be too tame to release if it remains in your care.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Looks like a baby mourning dove...they're protected and I believe it's a 48 hour
turn around time from when you acquire a protected bird to the time you turn
it over to a licensed rehabber or facility. Lord knows, you won't have the police at your door for a longer stay, though usually a place that deals w/wildlife will
have a few that they are caring for and your rescue would have the benefit of
making a few buddies to be released with.

Here's the link from the Resource section for rehabbers:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f25/pigeon-resources-for-rescue-and-rehab-8817.html

fp


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## heksa (Jun 3, 2009)

OK. I took it to Wild Animal Center. They said it looked good and should be fine. They will tube feed it for now. They said we did the right thing picking it up and bringing it there. It didn’t have much chance of surviving considering that we have a cat.


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