# Please help - mourning dove newborn ignored by its parent



## StefanTakomaPark (Jul 30, 2012)

Hello,
I am very distressed to see this situation, and would appreciate any help with what I can do about it. A little over two weeks ago, a pair of mourning doves built a nest on our window sill and then laid two eggs. Over the last 1-2 days the eggs hatched, one after the other. The nest is at the corner of the window sill. Since this morning or about midday today, we noticed that one of the newborns is on the window sill but behind the nest about two or three inches away. The parent is on the nest presumably sitting on the other newborn and feeding it, etc. The parent is facing towards the corner of the window sill, in other words away from the newborn that is behind the nest. Basically it just seems to be completely ignoring that newborn, which is flailing around helplessly. http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif I have no experience with this, although I'm an avid bird watcher, but it looks like if things go on this way the newborn will die soon. It is really horrible to see this happening, please let me know what I can do to help the poor newborn.

Other info: we live in Takoma Park, MD. We have not opened the window all this time as we have obviously been afraid of disturbing the birds.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

You can gently put the chick back in the nest. It can't get back in on its own and as you've observed, the parents are pretty much oblivious to a baby out of the nest. I have found Mourning doves to be surprisingly tolerant of human intervention. Move slowly, quietly and don't stare at them (predators stare).


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## StefanTakomaPark (Jul 30, 2012)

Thank you so much for your reply. I just followed your advice. As I opened the window slowly at first the parent wasn't moving but then finally it flew away. Then I put the baby back in the nest with the other one. I hope the parent comes back soon. I'm really hoping I haven't simply spooked the parent into not coming back, but it sees us moving around all the time anyway (hard to avoid as we have a small apartment and no blinds on that window), so hopefully it's somewhat used to us.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Did the parents return? They usually do.


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## StefanTakomaPark (Jul 30, 2012)

The parent didn't return by the time I went to bed last night, and it was actually quite late, so the nestlings were alone for at least several hours. By this morning a parent was sitting on the nest but that one nestling had again been kicked out of the nest, in the same place it was yesterday, in the middle of the window will. I just left them alone this time. Then around mid-afternoon I noticed that the parent was feeding a baby in that spot, the middle of the window sill and I got hopeful. But then by the early evening the parent was away and I looked and both nestlings were next to each other, dead, in the middle of the window sill. One or both parents came back later and poked around, and then flew away. It's sad, I don't know what happened, maybe they were both ill.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

I'm sorry. They may have been sick or it may be that the parents were young and inexperienced. Thank you for trying to help.


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## blondietwostep (Aug 4, 2012)

*Newborn Doves*

Last night, a Mama dove gave birth to two babies in our front porch planter. We had been expecting this two weeks ago. She left the nest for nearly 17 hours thru out the night and this morning. She did return, has been on the nest all day, and has now left again, it's 9:30pm. I peeked thru our window at the babies, it appears one is not moving at all, not breathing, and the other one seems to have breath. I have heard Mourning Doves are not the most intelligent of the bird species, and often times the babies do not make it. I am in agreement with others I read posts from, and we as humans freak out over this entire bird/baby/nesting thing.... I have come to the realization, FINALLY, to let human nature and GOD take over, after all, this has been going on for millions of years.  But I must tell you, for these past two weeks, I have been on edge, waiting for babies to be born, reading all sorts of information on Mourning Doves... I find them amazingly peaceful and loving creatures, not in fear of humans at all. I've learned a lot from these beautiful creatures, and I thank them for allowing us to serve their purpose for these past few weeks. I do hope they return next year.


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