# Any way I can help my local mourning doves deal with the cold?



## TitanicWreck

Today the temperature plunged- it was 15 degrees fahreheit, with a windchill well below zero-Many mourning doves live nearby- i noticed out on the deck a pair of doves, each puffed into the shape of a baseball, as protection against the fierce cold-Is there any special kind of food i can give them that could fatten them up, so they can have good insulation against the cold?- Any advice would be appreciated- i felt awful- I was inside,nice and warm, as the fireplace was roaring, and outside were 2 doves, clearly very, very cold...
How can i help them???


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## Lovebirds

Corn, safflower seeds, peanuts........high fat seeds. They'll burn it off so quick keeping warm that it won't hurt them. I too feel sorry for the outside birds. The cold is bad enough, but when you add the wind to that mix....it must be awful. We keep a bird feeder full and lots of pigeon feed scattered on the ground. The deer even come every day to eat.


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## TitanicWreck

Lovebirds said:


> Corn, safflower seeds, peanuts........high fat seeds. They'll burn it off so quick keeping warm that it won't hurt them. I too feel sorry for the outside birds. The cold is bad enough, but when you add the wind to that mix....it must be awful. We keep a bird feeder full and lots of pigeon feed scattered on the ground. The deer even come every day to eat.





Our feeder attracted more than deer- The other night we were stunned to see a bear eating seeds from the feeders, which he tore down and cracked open..Needless to say, I didnt go outside.....


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## feralpigeon

Titanic, a bear in Boston  ??

fp


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## TitanicWreck

feralpigeon said:


> Titanic, a bear in Boston  ??
> 
> fp




No, my family has a cabin on a lake out in Sturbridge MA, which is in the western part of the state, towards the Berkshire Mts...Ive spent much time there as of late..


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## TitanicWreck

Lovebirds said:


> Corn, safflower seeds, peanuts........high fat seeds. They'll burn it off so quick keeping warm that it won't hurt them. I too feel sorry for the outside birds. The cold is bad enough, but when you add the wind to that mix....it must be awful. We keep a bird feeder full and lots of pigeon feed scattered on the ground. The deer even come every day to eat.





Im not sure how the mourning doves handle severe cold- rock doves on the other hand seem indestructible- the feral pigeons I have seen don't seem bothered by the cold one bit....


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## feralpigeon

In SF, the pigeons like to snuggle up in clay flower pots. I wonder if you put
a few large ones on the deck, not filled to the top so that the sides could be
a wind shield if they might take to them?

fp


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## TitanicWreck

feralpigeon said:


> In SF, the pigeons like to snuggle up in clay flower pots. I wonder if you put
> a few large ones on the deck, not filled to the top so that the sides could be
> a wind shield if they might take to them?
> 
> fp




Interesting- there are potted plants on the deck, and once spotted a dove sitting in the pot...


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## Pigeonpal2002

We have lots of mourning doves in my area of Canada and they seem to do very pretty well wintering here. The numbers of them in summer here would suggest they are thriving. The interesting thing is that even though they don't migrate, I do think some move to the forests or other areas that might offer more food possibilites and shelter in coniferous trees. They are quite hardy little birds themselves so don't sell them short 

Of course finding enough food to eat is key to their survival and if you wanted to help them, then as Renee suggested, high fat seeds in a good seed mix would help. Popcorn would probably work best for mourning doves and since the doves are quite small


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## re lee

Often most doves head south for winter. Some younger ones fale to head out and stay longer. They most often survive And even venture south with a little more age. Keeping feed and perhaps unfrozen water out for them and other birds help them make it through the winters cold.


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