# (Pet?) Juvenile Collared Dove



## AJMontyBird (Jun 22, 2017)

Hello! Well, It's happened again - another dove was dropped off at the clinic I work at a couple days ago. This one appears to be a Eurasian Collared Dove, though I can't claim to be an expert on dove species, and has been given the all clear by our avian vet. "Pennywise" is somewhere between 2-3 weeks old and just starting to show interest in picking at food, and starting to fly a bit. She's in reasonable shape, beyond being very thin (pretty late in the year for squab around here) and having a few ratty tail feathers from where she was harassed by a cat - the original reason for her coming in. She takes Harrison's juvenile formula from a modified baby bottle very well.

Now, normally I'd be starting to plan a release strategy - especially for a mostly healthy fledgeling! - but I'm concerned re: winter (I live in B.C. and snow's maybe a month off)... and just how tame and unafraid Penny is. She's had less than two hours total handling time and is being kept covered in an isolated area of the hospital, but she's already following me (her primary caretaker) around her incubator, making noises at me and hopping up on my hands. I know most birds will become more wild as they fledge, but she's acting a lot like my handfed conure - complete with trying to fly to me if she's out of her enclosure! Collared doves are classified as a pest in the area and Conservation would have her euthanized for sure if I brought her to a rehab center, so I'm wondering if I should just keep her. Does anyone know the legality of keeping what's essentially a "wild caught" collared dove (specifically in Canada)? I could probably pass her off as a Barbary dove or similar if I kept her and anyone asked.

Alternatively, a friend has an established wild flock of mixed pigeons and doves that like to roost in her stable, so I could try releasing her there. I don't want the poor little thing killed if I can help it. She's really very endearing, and I've always loved doves.

Thoughts? I have two hookbills (green cheek conure, Eleanora cockatoo) and an unreleaseable (imprinted) tame European Starling as of right now. I dont have room for as large of an enclosure as I'd like if I were to keep Pennywise, but she'd have lots of flight time and I'm an experienced bird keeper, though I've never personally owned a pet dove.

~Amanda


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## AJMontyBird (Jun 22, 2017)

Sorry, im not familar with this forum, let alone on mobile or I'd try editing my post! Here's a quick picture of Pennywise sitting on the counter after her last feeding of the night. Was my ID of a collared dove correct, do you think? She definitely has blue-ish patches under her wings. (Apologies in advance if pictures are frowned upon in-thread!)


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## bootface (Jun 29, 2017)

She's young enough to wild up. It's not unusual for fledglings to be oblivious to danger, and she relies on you for food, that's probably all. Although 2 hours of handling is a lot for only being in your care for a few days.
I don't support keeping healthy birds in captivity, especially when they would be in a cage and isolated from their own species.
The winter makes it tough to release them. You could either overwinter her in a safe outdoor area, or provide a lot of supportive care once she's released.


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## AJMontyBird (Jun 22, 2017)

Fair; there was a lot more up front handling than strictly necessary and it's since been fixed. She's been treated with ivomec and is to come home with me at some point over the next day or two. It's far from ideal, but I have the spare cage set up in a quiet area of the home, and hopefully with minimal handling I'll be able to send her off to the stable in a few weeks. I know there're at least a few collared doves there, though it's mostly feral pigeons. Due to my living accommodations, overwintering her here outdoors wouldn't be feasible. 

It's very frustrating when we're given healthy wildlife that cannot be returned to the original location (the person who dropped it off didn't give us any info that I can find) and rehab won't take them. I don't want to kill the poor thing if I can help it!

~Amanda


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## Dalamar (Jul 10, 2017)

Canada and the UK have stupid laws, you can't legally own "pest birds" there.

While cops would probably not be able to tell the difference between a ringneck and collared, I wouldn't push your luck.
In the states you can get a license to keep wild animals, don't know about Canada, I would just release it in spring. If your law is super nazi like the USA is it may be better to give it to whatever your equivalent of wildlife rescue is right away regardless if it will be killed or not to save yourself legal trouble.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

I dont think youll go to prison for helping a bird. Wouldnt worry. If he is too tame to release just dont advertise that hes a pet. Likely no one will ever know. Would not surrender him to be killed. Thank you for helping him. Would take him home with you and later put him in the place with the other doves and not worry.


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