# Rescued hatchling - dove or pigeon?



## anubis_star (Jul 29, 2016)

I am a certified vet tech that handles wildlife for a local rescue, I have been certified to hand wean birds for large pet stores, and I use to own rolling pigeons. So none of this is "new" to me haha

However, my dear 5 yr old niece found a hatchling on the playground at school yesterday, and convinced everyone "aunty is a vet and can save it!" So the teachers 
gave it to my sister in a box and now I'm stuck with it since the school was closed and playground was behind 3 fences. It's eyes opened last night so I'm guessing about 4 days old. So far seems active.

I automatically assumed it was a pigeon, but now after looking at photos I think it might be a dove. Can anyone please ID? 

Thank you!

Btw, no rescue will take them this young and would just euthanize. I was going to euthanize it when I go in to work tonight but it's doing so well. Plus the tears of a classroom full of children. I'm a sucker


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Cute little guy! Someone more expert hopefully can tell whether it is a dove or pigeon soon.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Cute little baby pigeon. Probably 5 days old. Don't euthanize this baby. Not fair to him as he is already here. Can you get some Kay-T Exact baby bird food?
He deserves a chance. Cut the end off the syringe, fill it with the formula, then cover the end with either a balloon, or self adhesive bandage, which has some stretch to it, and cut a slit in the center of it for him to put his beak into, and attach the bandage to the end of the syringe with an elastic. Guide him to put his beak into the cut open slit, and hold the syringe for him, and he will drink the formula from the syringe.

This gives you the idea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyZV2Crqqd8


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## Buddy216 (Mar 8, 2015)

That's definitely a baby dove. I'm not entirely sure what kind but I have a pretty good guess that it's a mourning dove. As for euthanization, please do not do that to a baby, as it is inhumane. Hope this helped :•)


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## anubis_star (Jul 29, 2016)

I have been hand feeding him, so far he is thriving. I believe he is a mourning dove.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Cute little guy. Please help keep him going. He will likely survive and thrive with loving care and the kids will learn to value life. Thanks for helping him!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Maybe I'm wrong, but thought the beak would be thinner on a dove.
You would feed and raise them pretty much the same anyway, except that most places it is illegal to own a mourning dove.
What are you feeding him? And how much?
Here's a lot of good information.


PIGEON AND DOVE RESCUE 

http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/


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## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

Jay3 said:


> Maybe I'm wrong, but thought the beak would be thinner on a dove.


I was thinking the same. In the US it could be a wild ring neck dove. They are bigger than a Mourning dove, and more pigeon like. It will be interesting to see what it grows into.


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## anubis_star (Jul 29, 2016)

I thought the same thing about the beak size/shape, the coloration just seems to match a mourning dove. I too am interested to see what it will grow into. If you believe in the vent shape method for sexing babies, I think it's a girl haha.

I always wean with kaytee exact, feeding until crop is full. I feed them with a glove over a syringe, hole cut in it for the beak. I don't like to use a bird speculum unless I have to. I've never calculated exact amount fed for these little guys, but I believe she is eating about 3 mls per feeding (I have hand weaned dozens of birds, from doves to conures to cockatoos).

She was also 37 grams when I weighed her at work last night, which seems to match for a roughly 5 day old mourning dove


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Will just have to wait and see what he turns into. Am glad you are helping him! Better to have a secret friend legal or not than let one die needlessly I believe.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cwebster said:


> Will just have to wait and see what he turns into. Am glad you are helping him! Better to have a secret friend legal or not than let one die needlessly I believe.


I agree!


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## anubis_star (Jul 29, 2016)

Feathers coming in. Due to color, definitely thinking mourning dove now.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*What a little cutie. The beak looks so wide for it to be a dove, but I guess it grows and changes as does the baby.. *


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## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

*color*

Mourning Dove babies are gray, and this baby's bill is to thick. I have seen wild Ringneck Doves that were that buff color as adults, but I am thinking an Ash Red or brown baby pigeon. Both colors are not that common in feral pigeons, but they do happen.

Parent and baby Mourning Doves


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I agree. That beak belongs to a pigeon, not a dove.
I have baby morning doves that come to the feeder right outside my window, and their beaks could never have looked like that. They have slender beaks.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Thank you for clearing that up, that beak just seems too wide to be a baby mourning dove!
Be interesting to see this baby grow up. *


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Here is a couple of videos on baby mourning doves to compare with the baby. I just don't know. Maybe that beak slims down quickly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvI_1FOs9bE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s5ZY3U2lKU


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