# Mourning dove release



## redcorgi (Aug 3, 2008)

I have just registered and need some help with a rehabbed fledgling.

I would like to release him (or her) into my neighborhood. He is not eating on his own all the time and I want to know if you have suggestions on getting him to peck around at the millet, and feed himself. Should I just leave him alone and hope he figures it out, or keep feeding him? He is fully feathered and has an adult beak, but seems still small to me. 
He is quite interested in getting to fly, and I have had to bound over neighbor's fences to get him back( not easy for this 60 yr old) when he accidently takes off.

There are lots of White Wing doves in the back yard,and very few Mourning doves. So, he would have to hang with the White wings for awhile until he meets another like himself. Sound ok?

I'm lost on this, please help, redcorgi


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello and Welcome to Pigeon Talk,

Thank you for helping this dove.

He needs to be completely self feeding before he is released as that would be ideal.

Try weaning him when is hungriest, like right in the morning. Perhaps you can give him a variety like what is in a wild bird seed mix-perhaps that will help with appetite for seeds, then move the seeds around with your finger to generate an interest. Hopefully he will start to pick up seeds on his own and hunger is the best motive. He also needs to learn the taste of seeds on his tongue, so hand feed him some seeds too.

If he is drinking water on his own he should soon be eating on his own.

If there are other doves around for him to learn from that will help also.


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

Since you have a back yard, I would do a soft release. You cannot show him where to find food & water like his parents would. If you put him in a wire cage and let him sit on the ground and maybe encourage the wild birds to come surround his cage by sprinkling some seed around on the ground and he will see them eating and might join in the meal. If you do this for several days....perhaps a week....he will get his bearings of your backyard and when you do release him, he will know your yard has food and water and he will survive until he learns from the flock where there are other locations. You must be absolutely positive he is self feeding before you release him.


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## redcorgi (Aug 3, 2008)

Thanks you so much. It gives me much peace of mind to know what to do for this little guy. I will try the cage on the ground tomarrow morning when the other doves are feeding. 
White Wings are very common here and Mourning Doves are rare, so it is wonderful to get to add the their population alittle. THe seeds on his tongue is a great idea. I have ground up the hulled wild bird seeds I feed at my feeder for him. I will mix in whole ones now. It is so hot here that I think releasing him will stress him out unless properly ready, and you have helped me so much. I'm grateful, redcorgi in Austin Tx


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## Noisy_minor (Jun 20, 2008)

Thank you for helping this dove.
have a look at this thread if you havn't already 
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f25/release-criteria-for-birds-amp-animals-11919.html

Cheers


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## redcorgi (Aug 3, 2008)

New question:
I have been reading about the green, watery poop problem and would like more advice. He used to have the black/white poop piles, but now has the green variety..what to do?

I have a new cage to hang out by the feeder to get him closer to other feral doves so he can get the hang of pecking food. Will continue this with food close to his cage to the other doves will come by. The squirrels freak him out tho. They are part of the package of my back yard.
Thanks for any help!! redcorgi


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

Are you sure he is eating enough??


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## redcorgi (Aug 3, 2008)

*eating*

No I am not sure he is eating enough. Is that what the green watery poop is about? I can certainly feed him by hand more. Please advise. Jan


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Green watery poop can be an indication of starvation. How much are you hand feeding this little bird?


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## redcorgi (Aug 3, 2008)

I have been trying to get this guy to eat on his own, and obviously not doing so well. I am feeding him more today...lots more. I feel so bad I didn't know. I also think that I was not putting the food down his throat far enough for him to swallow... But am getting the hang of that. He was shaking his head and the food would fling out. Now he is swallowing it. I feel like a bad mother. 

So I will feed him every hour instead of twice a day. I was hoping his hunger would encourage him to peck at seed in his cage. I have lots of food in the cage, and other doves are eating in front of him at the feeder, but he just sits there.

Thanks for the input, I was at a lose. Jan


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

Patience and devotion are the name of the game... and you are doing very well .... keep up the procedure. Eventually it will learn to eat and then it soon will be time to release it... that's when you feel so sorry that they grew too fast.


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