# The Dove Diaries: These are the doves of our lives.



## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Yesterday I banded my four doves with split plastic bands so I could tell them apart. After they got over being touched in a most unwelcome way, I learned some things about my little flock.
They don't like to be wrapped in towels, laid on their backs, and banded. Lesson learned, they did like escaping and flying around the house. I tell you if looks could kill I'd be a goner after last night.
Sanjaya: The largest dove, which I now believe to be a cock bird, struggled so much that I feared I would harm him. He is not banded, but the others are so I can tell it is him. I've named him Sanjaya. Great singing voice. He coos and bows long, deep, and often.
Sugar: The smallest dove. After some observation I've decided that the white banded one is female. She coos and laughs but doesn't bow as low. Her coo sounds decidedly 'girly' due to being higher, a bit softer, and not as often. She is named Sugar. I caught her kissing Sanjaya.
Sunita: She is medium sized. She likes to laugh, and she coos loud and deep and often but doesn't bow low. She has been perching on the nest lately instead of on the perch with the others. But I know she is a girl because she's been kissing Sanjaya. And I saw them pretending to feed each other. Wait, could there be a dove triangle going on? Why is Sanjaya getting all the dove?
Zoltan: Another medium dove. I believe he is a boy because he has not been kissing Sanjaya. He also coos and bows extravagantly but can't seem to get any attention. Sanjaya bullies him occasionally just to show he can push him around.
All the sexes assigned are pure speculation.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Well, time will tell about the sexes for sure. Please keep us posted.

I recently adopted a white ringneck dove that I named Phillipe after the original owner. Phillipe is and was in quarantine and sure appeared to be a male to me by his actions and vocalizations. A couple of days ago, I got another white ringneck and placed it in a separate cage in the quarantine room. What a surprise when this new dove immediately went into male mode with cooing and bowing to Phillipe. All of a sudden, Phillipe became a very demure dove and took a couple of rather tentative wing whacks towards to new dove. It now appears that Phillipe will need to be given a female or at least a unisex name  

Terry


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Would love to see photos of your doves if you can post them. Ringnecks are so sweet, aren't they? That laughing sound cracks me up every time. And I love to watch the bow-coo dance. So entertaining!

I love letting my doves fly around the house. They are such happy flyers - often doing little dives and turns and fancy tricks for me. Wish I could let them be free all the time but it isn't safe.

btw - Where did you get dove size split rings? I might want to pick up some of those to ID my unbanded doves.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Perhaps, Philodice, you could have someone "burrito" your dove(s) and hold them so they are NOT on their backs when banding. I've heard that putting birds on their backs is NOT a good thing...

Your doves sound delightful! I LOVE their laugh...makes me laugh too!

Do keep us updated on the "Days" in the lives of your beauties!

Hugs and Scritches to all

Shi & Squeaks


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Doves are certainly special little guys and gals. They do fool us with the elaborate displays of cooing and bowing, when they turn out to be a girl! And certainly, love triangles are not unheard of.


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

And more pictures:
http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f219/FurrDeFaux/Doves2/


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

I got the bands from ebay, a bag of 100 colored plastic bands, size 4. They don't have info on them, just colors for people silly enough to have a flock of identical birds. You can see the bands in some of the pics now.

I did catch Sunita and Sugar kissing a little bit. Now I'm just not sure what I have. They love flying around. That cage is temporary. Sanjaya now has blue bands. They are picking at the bands a little but those things move freely and are just the right size.


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## Dezirrae (Oct 6, 2007)

They are so cute!! I recently adopted two doves - luckily mine are different color but I am still hooked on the all white. Good idea to use bands to tell them apart though. My two are mother and daughter and they do what I think is "kissing" too - so cute and funny to watch. And they share egg sitting duty quite nicely. Could almost set your watch by afternoon "changing of the guard". 

I too look forward to more updates and pictures of your beautiful doves


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## CHRISTIN RN (Sep 2, 2007)

Great Phil!
Are they not the sweetest little angels those doves? Such cute little faces...thanks for sharing the pics and glad you got them all banded.
Your take on the sexes sounds pretty good to me, however, as Terry said, time will definitely tell! I like their names also!

Terry, also congrats on your new little ringneck couple!
Phillipe can become Phyllis if you want to keep it similar to the previous owner. That's the closest I could come up with. Got any pics.....so funny, we're all like the commercial for 'Got Milk' except we all ask, Got Pics?
Anyway, I enjoy all the pics everyone shares!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Such lovely doves, Philodice! They are precious!

Christin .. Nope .. I do "Got Milk" but "Got No" pics of the two new doves, or the new pigeons, or the new ducks. It's been crazy busy here. Pics coming soon  

Terry


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

I have a new appreciation for how difficult it is to photograph birds. My, they do move fast and they don't pose for long. The camera I have isn't set up for Sports Action speed.


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

philodice - Thanks for the photos and the tip on finding bands!

Beautiful, gorgeous birds you have. I can see how difficult it is to tell them apart though, lol. Mine are all different colors so its easier.

Sexing them is definitely a challenge. My first 2 are both male but they act like a mated pair. Kissing, preening, mating, etc. I even gave them a fake egg once and they took turns sitting. Although I think at least one of the new birds is a female, the 2 males are still more interested in each other most of the time.


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Sanjaya and Zoltan have started wing slapping each other when I let them out of the cage to fly. Sanjaya chases Sunita endlessly and I believe they are together now. Sugar has decided Zoltan is the one for her. Sunita has been spending a lot of time sitting in the nest twitching her wings, while Sugar has been more demure and plays harder to get.

The wing slapping seemed like a violent row they were having over the best place to perch on my cabinet.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

How cute. Makes you wonder why they fight when there is enough room for everybody.
Thank you for the update.

Reti


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## CHRISTIN RN (Sep 2, 2007)

Yea...Rally & Ally started that 'wing slapping' thing as soon as they got into their new larger cage! ???
How ungrateful, I thought, after spending 4 hours building the (expletive) thing!
Any idea why they wing slap??? I assumed it might be a mating thing. 
Never thought they were fighting as they most of the time in the other cage were kissing and preening.
Maybe they're both cocks? Haven't had any eggs, so it may be possible.
Who the heck knows! If they are fighting it will make me upset for sure as I would never be able to take this large cage apart and have already discarded the large box it came in! Cost a wing and a leg as well!
Also, Rally is now constantly chasing Ally and hopping on her back, she seems to not like it at all, or maybe playing hard to get as well. ???
Any suggestions?
They do have flying time...1-2 hours depending on when they decide they've had enough and just feel like napping.

Ugh....need this like a hole in the head with busy holiday preparations!
Really praying that some of my Birdie Family (you guys) will reply that it's normal or ok that they do this!


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## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

I don't know if it's just me, but I've noticed a lot of differences between pigeons and doves. My pigeons are curious, inquisitive and obviously very intelligent, and easily trained. The doves I've spent time with, and even some hand fed ones, were rather repetitive in their behavior, not as bright as the pigeons, and easily frightened. They crouch and breathe rapidly as soon as they see you approaching.

Why do I see this stark difference between pigeons and doves if they are of the same family, and really not different at all?


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Only two out of my eight doves are tame and I have them almost all since they were babies. And out of the two only one is really tame and considering me his mate. He is intellingent but not like the pigeons and yea, they all get scared very easy.

I don't know why they would be wing slapping, seems like you have male and female. Only thing I can think of is, maybe Ally is not ready for the mating ritual.

Reti


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## Fever (May 28, 2007)

Aw, love the pictures! Doves are such fun pets. I just gave mine some houseplants in their room and let them out for a fly. They are having a blast!

I used to have to hold them on their backs to give them a medication when I first got them... I thought they'd never forgive me, but we get along pretty well now.


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## Dezirrae (Oct 6, 2007)

So sorry to hear Ally and Rally seem a little rambuncious in their new home  I know how painful it was putting it together for them. Hopefully they will settle in soon and get more comfortable with their new abode. It did take Juliette and Noel a day or so to get settled - find out where everything was, etc. 

Sounds like Rally is getting randy too  May need to watch for those eggs soon. 

Good luck with them - keep us posted.


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## CHRISTIN RN (Sep 2, 2007)

Thanks Reti & Dezirrae for the input! I hope Ally isn't ready for the mating ritual! They're pretty young...07 bands.

I don't know how you built your cage by yourself Dezirrae! Ugh!
I guess your right about them getting used to it like Juliet and Noel did after a few days. Haven't had a chance to take any pics yet.

Terry, hope you and ALL those new feathered friends are fairing well! 

Ditto about the doves and pidgies being soooo different in character!


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Doves are a lot like pigeons on valium, or maybe too many hemp seeds. Very relaxed most of the time but not actually tame. Not enough brain space in the tiny dove heads? I really had to let mine fly to see their personalities.
So Sugar laid her first egg with me in the first nest I put in. It seems she prefers the second nest because I found her second egg in the wrong nest and her sitting on it. So I moved the first egg back under her. I still have no idea who the father is because she was billing anything that cooed and I have yet to see a guy sit on the nest. There is a guy sitting on the OTHER nest. Are they just really confused or what? Too much inbreeding at the ranch I bought them from? Is my nest too small? Sugar appears comfortable in it and I've seen 2 doves in it at once. The other nest is bigger but not the favorite of the birds.
I'd like to see the eggs hatch because my neighbor's boy would like to own a bird and doves are great starter birds. Besides, they say if he gets tired of it he can bring it back, not like a pet store. He doesn't seem like the kind of boy who gets tired of animals though. He's very gentle and sweet.


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