# Spotted dove bowing and cooing



## cowboy36289 (Sep 15, 2018)

Hi folks,

Always been wondering why my father's spotted dove tend to bow and coo when I am close to it. I can't figure out if it is greeting me or basically telling me to get lost. 

Here is the video for reference: https://streamable.com/r87lm

Hope someone can enlighten me on this. Thanks.

P.S. This is in Singapore, in case you're wondering where I or the bird is in.


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## cowboy36289 (Sep 15, 2018)

Pardon the double post, couldn't edit my above post for some reason.

Not shown in video is the dove coo-ing (w/o bowing; basically its normal call) with its head bowed low and is stationary.

Makes me even more confused as to whether it is being dominant or just greeting me and then being submissive.


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## Friend John (Jun 10, 2018)

That bird is very beautiful and seriously cute. I hope it gets some time out of the cage, it looks a bit small.


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## cowboy36289 (Sep 15, 2018)

Friend John said:


> That bird is very beautiful and seriously cute. I hope it gets some time out of the cage, it looks a bit small.


It's never been out of the cage save for a few occasions when my father trimmed its claws as it was too curled up and tangling on the wireframe.

Space constraints, that's why the cage is that small, unfortunately. 

Btw, do you know what that bow-coo in the video mean?  Doesn't seem like a normal bird call.


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## Friend John (Jun 10, 2018)

I don't know what the cooing means, but I'm sure someone will chime in and help soon. I'm no expert and wouldn't like to guess, though I have my suspicions.

Is the bird tame? Please try to let it out of the cage for a while every day, this is no way for a pigeon to live 24\7.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

He is probably calling for a mate. Poor thing. I have to agree with Friend John. It's distressing to see a bird kept in such a tiny space all alone with nothing to do all day or night. He must be sooo lonely and miserable. That would be like you being locked in a small closet for life. He can barely move around in there. Any caged bird needs room to move around and time out of cage every day for exercise and companionship. They live to pair up and have a family. He must be very lonely without a mate. If your father doesn't have enough room for a larger cage, and doesn't want to take him out of cage, then why does he keep him? Surely it can't be enjoyable to keep an animal like that, and watch him merely exist?


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## cowboy36289 (Sep 15, 2018)

Jay3 said:


> He is probably calling for a mate. Poor thing. I have to agree with Friend John. It's distressing to see a bird kept in such a tiny space all alone with nothing to do all day or night. He must be sooo lonely and miserable. That would be like you being locked in a small closet for life. He can barely move around in there. Any caged bird needs room to move around and time out of cage every day for exercise and companionship. They live to pair up and have a family. He must be very lonely without a mate. If your father doesn't have enough room for a larger cage, and doesn't want to take him out of cage, then why does he keep him? Surely it can't be enjoyable to keep an animal like that, and watch him merely exist?


I feel the same too because birds aren't meant to be kept around like this. However, it beats me as to why my father still keeps it around even though he barely has time to tend to it. It's been around since 2006(?) when it just hatched and was abducted  from its original nest.

But generally it is not uncommon for folks in Asia to keep songbirds as pets in cages around this size and would seldom be let out of cage, if ever.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Likely as people say it is a male calling for a mate.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Well I think it's very sad for the bird. He is lonely and calling for a mate.


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## Riverafamiy100 (Apr 11, 2020)

I'm pretty sure the bird is telling u "please, get me out of here!" That is considered animal abuse to keep that poor animal in there all day long and only taken out to trim his nails. Shame on ur father & honestly, shame on u too for doing nothing to help the bird. I'm so disgusted at this that if I knew where u lived I'd send the appropriate authorities to take the bird from u. What is wrong with u people?!!


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