# Free Flying Ringneck doves



## jak2002003

Hello everyone. I noticed that many books and websites say its not possible to free fly Ringneck Doves. Well, I have been free flying my 6 pet doves for over a year and will tell you its quite possible if you have the time and patience to train them properly. Here are a few pics of my doves
. I can't figure out how to post pics on this site, so here are mine at Back Yard Chickens.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/665185/free-flying-ringneck-doves#post_8979597


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## Print Tippler

What do you mean by free fly? Just let outside the cages outside? You can do that with any kind of pet bird. You need to know what your doing of course in everything you do like you said. That being said, you can take any pet bird and free fly them away from the house. There are plenty of youtube videos of pigeons, doves, parakeets, finches, parrots, macaws, etc doing the very same thing. I will happily pull up a compilation of them all if requested. 

I think what people get upset about and why they say don't do it because of people who try to do it and do it wrongly and they may think people like you (or me) encourage people to do it. Its the same as me saying "driving a car is not that hard", that doesn't mean an 8 year old can go just jump in now. Free flying birds is not that hard, but that doesn't mean just go throw your dove outside. It takes an combination of things to do things correctly.


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## spirit wings

I did that a long time ago, not knowing better and I guess I did it wrong. The ring neck pair were kept in the summer on a screen porch and let out..but they went back in their cage to eat and roost..so one day I let them out in the yard and they pecked around and flew and had a good old time for about 6 months and went back in their cage at dusk. but one day they flew out of sight and I never saw them again. my father said he saw them flying with morning doves which where migrating at the time.


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## Print Tippler

well, one pair stayed around for 6 months and then flew off and maybe got lost. I think we could argue that could argue that could of have happen with homers. My point is plenty of racers have lost birds the day they let the young birds out or shortly after. Do you blame the characters the birds hold or the handler? That is my point. When an amateur doesnt do the right things when it comes to letting out racers they get lost. There are stories of pigeons and doves getting lost all. For some reason people conclude that because of the dove stories doves shouldnt be let outside. The only reason i can see how people draw that conclusion is because they probably dont hear the good accounts (as above). There are plenty of good accounts of letting pigeons out so people see it is done. We live in a wicked world and there are risks involved. You have to determine if your prepared. Letting your birds outside and letting your child walk to school or sit at the bus stop without adults is the same kind of event. If all been told by other people is that if you let your child out by himself he will be kidnapped then your probably be afraid to do so. Others may live in a nice area and have no fear. Thats how it was for me but if i lived in a bad part of town things would have been different. There are dangers outside. You just need to know your circumstances and essentially not be dumb. Not being dumb amounts to a lot of things.

i would like to stress what i said before, it all depends on circumstances. Ceaser Millian can walk a pack of pitbulls off leach with no fears. He knows what he can do. Then theres just the average person who cant walk there toy breed properly on leach. Ceaser does not say to take your dogs off leach, he just takes his dogs off leach because he knows he can. I cant at the moment. In the same sense i cant say go free fly your birds. No, only do that if you know you can. Its one of those things, if you have to ask then the answer is no. It has to be a decision you come to on your own.

If people wernet so discouraged from sharing instances they have with their birds people would learn more from others. Ill be sharing my own experience with a mobile flying pet in the future. Im not much of a blogger and its not my in first thought to whip out the camera phone when i take my bird to a fellow pigeon loft or another house. The internet doesnt have all the information out there. Neither does books. Sometimes the information people have doesnt get shared due to the persons personalities.


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## spirit wings

I really did not think that deep into it, I just shared what happend with me and did say I must of not done it well. I never thought of compairing ring neck doves to homers or pittbulls...lol.. The reason I like and got homers is because they are a bird that can be let outside to fly and not get lost loft flying, I think it is great if one can do it with ring neck doves even though they were not bred to come back home. Iam definantly not going to try it with my cocktiels though.. I would feel really bad if they got lost.


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## Print Tippler

yeah, i wouldnt do it with your cocktails either if i didnt hand raise them. Some people take untamed parrots and are able to tame them and do complete 180s. Thats something for a more experienced person. Hand raising them, getting them weaned quickly, and getting them outside early is critical. I actually was just reading a thread from way back when you were talking to "petroller" about all this. Him and RobertL were the two who should me it was possible. There is a lot that goes into it. Constant upkeep. I have had him at 4 locations and also the area around my house. He has flown a couple laps at two places. I still have him. The first time was sloppy because it was in a tight place and he landed up high and i had to wait acouple minutes until he jumped on me. The other place was much more open and he did a couple laps and then tried to land on me then landed on the ground and i picked him up. Anyways, he not 2 months old let so i still have a lot of work to do and want to progress a lot more. He a cock who dances and coos already and doesnt like any of my slightly less tame group of pigeons. i feed him out of my hand almost always. Sometimes laying seed down infornt of me but never just left. He has a white seamless band which say "2012 1 Please call ###-###-#####. The # being my phone number. I dont make him fly anymore, only if he wants. Though i did take him to somewhere really open and tossed him into the sky and he landed right back on the ground feets away. I knew he would do that because that what i did around my house for awhile, but like i said im not making him fly anymore.


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## jak2002003

Yes, I totally agree with you. I would never promote anyone letting their beloved pet birds outside. I have to say that I do love my birds, but not like children. If one did get killed or not come home, then I would be upset, but not devastated. My ringnecks are breeding all the time so if one vanished I would easily be about to replace it. 

You are correct about the videos on you tube. I have been watching them today. I only let my birds out of their cages around my garden. Never took them out. I don't think that would work, as I am sure they use the surrounding landmarks as ways to get home. They don't have the homing instincts or pigeons or racers! 

I used to keep white racing homers in my old country and occasionally even one of them would go missing (usually for a hawk or joined a feral flock in the city near my home). Once I saw one of my birds in the town centre with a new 'girlfriend'. I picked him up and took him home, kept him locked up for over a month, then on his release he was gone again. Can't stop true love - or control everything in nature.



Print Tippler said:


> What do you mean by free fly? Just let outside the cages outside? You can do that with any kind of pet bird. You need to know what your doing of course in everything you do like you said. That being said, you can take any pet bird and free fly them away from the house. There are plenty of youtube videos of pigeons, doves, parakeets, finches, parrots, macaws, etc doing the very same thing. I will happily pull up a compilation of them all if requested.
> 
> I think what people get upset about and why they say don't do it because of people who try to do it and do it wrongly and they may think people like you (or me) encourage people to do it. Its the same as me saying "driving a car is not that hard", that doesn't mean an 8 year old can go just jump in now. Free flying birds is not that hard, but that doesn't mean just go throw your dove outside. It takes an combination of things to do things correctly.


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## Lefty07

*Free-flying doves*

Free-flying Ringneck Doves are definitely a risk - they lack the homing instincts and "street smarts" of homing pigeons - but maybe in Thailand you have a friendlier environment with fewer hazards? 

Here in the North America, allowing Ringneck Doves to fly loose is a pretty big risk - like a "death sentence" because we have many hawks, even in suburban areas, so that they usually don't survive long.

I admit, I am fortunate. I have an 18 X 20 foot sunroom with screened windows that I can release my doves in, so that they can get fresh air and exercize without going outside. My 4 doves are really friendly pets so I wouldn't want to take any chances with them.




























Hawks are often right outside my sunroom - sometimes studying my dove's movements!


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## jak2002003

Wow, lovely photos you have there, and your doves are very lucky to have that room to fly in! I love the picture of the hawk. 

We get a few around here, but mostly owls and we got some strange crow / pheasant looking large bird that kills young chickens and ducklings. The biggest problem I have had is with pythons. They ate many of my ducks. 

For the doves, the biggest threat is cats. One of my first pair of doves was killed when I cat knocked its cage onto the floor and the cage broke open and the cat caught the dove. So sad. I still have her mate who now has a new 'wife'. That was the only dove I lost to a predator and that was over a year ago (and the dove was in its cage).

I find its best if the doves are not too tame, otherwise they will fly to people and people might catch them, thinking they are escaped. All my neighbours know they are my doves so don't catch them.


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## almondman

Great photos! I really like the spread wings.


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## MaryOfExeter

Most people's doves are not tame or calm enough to handle being free flown. Mine are used to me but when they get out, they fly around confused and sit in trees until I manage to catch them. Otherwise, they usually do not last more than a couple days before something eats them, sometimes they don't even make it overnight. I know it can be done, just as letting parrots outside without a leash is possible. But they do not have the homing ability of pigeons and are easily lost if something does spook them into flying too far out of sight.


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## Doves1111

Years ago...I trained my Ringneck Doves to free fly. It was absolutely beautiful to be able to see them fly around my yard all day...and then go back into their loft in the evening. I had no problems with either cats nor hawks then. But...as in the picture of your dove Coffee enjoying a stroll in your driveway...my doves loved to stroll in the middle of the road. There...they got killed by the passing cars. After that horrific experience...I will never let my Ringneck Doves out to free fly again. I guess it all depends on where you live and what dangers your birds have to deal with when they are out. There are more dangers around here besides the passing cars now. If I ever decided to let them out...*which I won't.*..they would be scoffed up in a minuet by the hawks I have around here!!! My Ringneck Doves have a large flight attached to their loft where they can fly and enjoy the outdoors...and be safe .

Dawn


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## jak2002003

Oh, that is so sad for you! I am lucky as I have no busy roads around my house. My house is surrounded by woodland, a few neighbours, and rice fields. My doves like to walk on my driveway, but I have never seen them go far from the garden (except one who like to walk into my next door neighbours house and sit on her TV!). The others stay high in the trees when outside the garden. I think they don't feel safe out there. But they will spend a lot of time on the driveway, sunbathing, or walking about on my lawn. 

If I lived in a town or city, then its would be out of the question to let they free fly...far to many dangers.


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## spirit wings

jak2002003 said:


> Oh, that is so sad for you! I am lucky as I have no busy roads around my house. My house is surrounded by woodland, a few neighbours, and rice fields. My doves like to walk on my driveway, but I have never seen them go far from the garden (except one who like to walk into my next door neighbours house and sit on her TV!). The others stay high in the trees when outside the garden. I think they don't feel safe out there. But they will spend a lot of time on the driveway, sunbathing, or walking about on my lawn.
> 
> If I lived in a town or city, then its would be out of the question to let they free fly...far to many dangers.


you're place sounds beautiful!


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## Doves1111

jak2002003 said:


> Oh, that is so sad for you! I am lucky as I have no busy roads around my house. My house is surrounded by woodland, a few neighbours, and rice fields. My doves like to walk on my driveway, but I have never seen them go far from the garden (except one who like to walk into my next door neighbours house and sit on her TV!). The others stay high in the trees when outside the garden. I think they don't feel safe out there. But they will spend a lot of time on the driveway, sunbathing, or walking about on my lawn.
> 
> If I lived in a town or city, then its would be out of the question to let they free fly...far to many dangers.


I live in the country...my roads are not busy. I have a big piece of property that is surrounded by woodlands and some neighbors too. But when a car came and the doves where in the road...they got hit because they wouldn't fly or move out of the way .

Dawn


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## thabreit

My cousin just rescued two ringneck doves about two weeks ago. She has them in a cage on your roofed deck. She can let them out of the cage one at a time and lets them fly. She then does her call and they will fly back into her hand that she has food in.


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## jak2002003

thabreit said:


> My cousin just rescued two ringneck doves about two weeks ago. She has them in a cage on your roofed deck. She can let them out of the cage one at a time and lets them fly. She then does her call and they will fly back into her hand that she has food in.


Thank you for you message. That is very interesting. Its good to only let on out at a time as the one outside will want to stay in sight and sound of its mate.

I still free fly mine. But, I can not recommend it to everyone...as the safety of the bird all depends on the particular environment and what predators are in that area.

Mine have been breeding like crazy and I like to let all the males out together. They coo and bow to each other and take in in turns to chase each other about. They fly in big loops around the house and all gather in a tall tree in my garden before I call them back in the evening.

I will make some more videos and put them on you tube and post on here when I have done it.

I love ringneck doves - they make the best pets and are so beautiful and gentle.


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## jak2002003

Hi. I added a few videos of my free flying ringneck doves on you tube. Here is the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CUpaG_-nUA

Also some pictures of Back Yard Chickens.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/681999/free-flying-ringneck-doves#post_9219271


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## Shadowringneck23

*Ringneck Dove Flight*

I have heard of many people doing this, especially if you live in an area where they are considered a native breed of dove. Depending on where you live, you run the risk of the birds escaping, and they are not properly equipped to survive in the wild.


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## aussiegirl

*freeflying ring neck doves*

One of my beige ring necks got out of their sizeable aviary yesterday, he has stayed in garden and seems quite happy except he is lonely, im thinking i might make a trap door at top of aviary and let them all try fleeflight.
I have tried to trap him but not successful, even have door ajar so he can fly in with feeder right there, he fed, had a look and flew off again, he knows he can get back in lol.
They watch my white racers freelofting/flying all day, i think it would be nice to try it out, i do know the risks. We are away from busy roads, through do have crows visiting sometimes, thats my main concern, i have seen a friend let his out to no dramas. 2 of the white ringnecks are beautifully tame.
I rescued a beige one once from a horrid existence who has paired up with my whites and produced 6 offwhite/beige ringnecks,, was hoping to obtain a different colouring but the darker pigment reigned supreme.
Would prefer to just have whites..
Have tried selling the beige to no avail.
I guess ill try it once.
I have been working fulltime and havent been on any forums of late, hence it has been ages since i visited you guys xx


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## jak2002003

*Escaped Dove.*



aussiegirl said:


> One of my beige ring necks got out of their sizeable aviary yesterday, he has stayed in garden and seems quite happy except he is lonely, im thinking i might make a trap door at top of aviary and let them all try fleeflight.
> I have tried to trap him but not successful, even have door ajar so he can fly in with feeder right there, he fed, had a look and flew off again, he knows he can get back in lol.
> They watch my white racers freelofting/flying all day, i think it would be nice to try it out, i do know the risks. We are away from busy roads, through do have crows visiting sometimes, thats my main concern, i have seen a friend let his out to no dramas. 2 of the white ringnecks are beautifully tame.
> I rescued a beige one once from a horrid existence who has paired up with my whites and produced 6 offwhite/beige ringnecks,, was hoping to obtain a different colouring but the darker pigment reigned supreme.
> Would prefer to just have whites..
> Have tried selling the beige to no avail.
> I guess ill try it once.
> I have been working fulltime and havent been on any forums of late, hence it has been ages since i visited you guys xx


I make sure my doves are secure in the cage at night. If they are out at night its very likely a cat will get them.

You could cut a small dove sized hole into the aviary with a shelf outside. Then the dove will land on the shelf, go through the hole, and be inside. because there is nothing on the other side for the dove to land on he will not be able to get back out through the hole (so long as it is not too big).

If this works, then try the other doves out. Always keep a few in the aviary to attract the others back.


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## aussiegirl

Thankyou for that Tip, i have the drills charging overnight to make a small shelf and an entry/exit hole which is too small for a cat, but Ok for the doves to get thru.


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