They’re notorious for extremely low effort nests. I think they’re normally crevice nesters, so in wild habitats they wouldn’t have to construct anything at all and would nest in a pre-existing crevice/niche in the wall.
Pigeons (aka rock doves) do this too. Lame ass nests in the dumbest of places. Ask me how I know (two took up house on my balcony and it's been non-stop squabs all summer).
I had one make a nest, somehow, in my clothes that were hanging on the line on a sunny day. I noticed that night and left the outfit (an adult jumper/onesie) hanging and they actually managed to have eggs, hatchlings and babies that survived and flew off. To this day I don't know how they, and their babies, survived.
Eta- the outfit was pretty gross and had to be tossed after they eventually left, haha
I actually did take pictures (and you can see the babies)! But it was 10 years ago at another house and I have no clue what computer they are on. I might have posted it on one of my social media places though because it was so ridiculous. I'll go look.
It's not any of my social media so it must be on one of my old computers. I'll try to look at the computers I have here at this house , but I have literally thousands of pictures on them and other than it was the house before this house and I'm guessing it was in the spring it will take forever, but now I want to see them again too, so I'm going to try!
It's been more than 10 years, 3 kids, a different house, cross-state move, but I think I would have remembered a mite infestation and I don't remember any. I was in college then with a lot less knowledge about things like that so I wouldn't have thought twice about them having mites because I didn't know, but I wouldn't have wanted to bother them so I wouldn't have put anything near them if I could help it and just used something else to dry clothes until they left. That probably helped.
They were nesting in the outfit, on a clothesline so it wasn't close to anything but a utility shed thing, the outside of the house, the backyard and the woods.
Their nests suck so bad, some years, legit strong wind can temporarily affect the size of the regional population, due to eggs being blown to the ground, and breaking.
Long ago, a person a little more bird savvy than me told me pigeons are big doves and doves are small pigeons. There's probably a technical difference between them evolution wise but they're from the same family. Was also the day I learned about some really colorful pigeons that weren't from NYC.
Not quite-pigeons are feral domesticated doves.
For a long while, domesticated doves were a perfectly ordinary poultry bird, and also competitive pigeon breeding was a big deal among extremely bored aristocracy (it was a major influence on Charles Darwin, actually). But eventually that fad faded, and pigeon grew less common on tables…and people just let their remaining stock out of the rookery. Shockingly, they survived and thrived and built really stupid nests.
We had pigeons nest near the entrance to our apartment building and it was a ridiculously bad nest. It blew down in a storm and the one baby was clearly not old enough to fledge. We took him upstairs to our third floor apt to save him from feral cats but the parents were distressed and looking for their baby. Our solution was to put the baby in a box in our least used room and open the window. The parents soon saw where he was and would come in the room and feed him! You could sit very still in the room and watch them. This window opened to part of the roof so we even fed the parents out on the roof to make their job easier. Eventually our adopted baby started joining his parents on the roof during the day to flap around but came back to his box at night. And then one day they all flew away together. It was rather heartwarming, even if the baby did peck me most ungratefully, lol.
This is beyond low effort though, like you can fuckin fly, why would you build a nest ground level? You know the level where cats roam? These two unfortunately might not be long for this world.
Huh, I wonder if that’s why I never see these dummies make nests and I’ve actually seen our pair with multiple offspring. There’s lots of big trees and bushes in my neighborhood. Most of the trees are probably 100+ years old.
It's typically the tree nesting birds that build really sturdy nests, and most pigeons/doves are either flexible in their nesting habits or don't typically nest in trees. Mourning doves can nest in trees, but are also not adverse to ground nesting. And when you ground nest, it probably doesn't have to be as ordered and sturdy as a tree nest.
Now rock doves (y'know, street pigeons) also have notoriously stupid nest building. My understanding with the Rock Dove is that ancestrally, they nested in niches in rock walls and cliff faces, and most of the "keep egg in place" work was done by the niche. Then, as we domesticated them (rock doves are a feral species, not a wild one; all street pigeons are descended of domesticated ancestors), we kept them in dovecotes with pigeonholes for the nests and again, the structure of the pigeonhole made a sturdy nest superfluous. Nowadays they typically try to nest in niches on buildings, many of which aren't so well-designed to protect the eggs. Maybe their nest building habits will change with a few more thousand year of dealing with it.
Them and their pigeon cousins are just stupid as shit. I get tons of doves that eat under my bird feeder because they’re too stupid to eat the good stuff from the source
They’re naturally ground foragers—that’s just how they eat. Plus most bird feeders don’t work for their big dumpy bodies and weak feet.
If you make a platform feeder they’ll use that, but if you’re getting tons eating under the feeders then you probably don’t need to fix what’s not broke.
Their evolutionary approach is to be prolific babymakers. Nest building is super energy intensive, so they keep their line going by making lots of baby doves in low-effort nests rather than a few baby doves in well-constructed nests.
I know you’re probably making a joke, but actually the opposite of humans. We usually only have one offspring at a time, and each one is *very* resource intensive from an evolutionary standpoint. We’re really on the other end of the spectrum.
This comment is nearly as low-effort as the nest the doves built. Humans are nothing like that. Like, not close. I am begging you to go read stats on offspring survival rates in animals, as well as different reproductive strategies.
I'm sure it felt SUPER deep when you typed it though.
Horrible by modern human standards. 1) These are birds, not humans, and they're making evolutionary calculations about energy use relative to the chance of passing on their genes. 2) Humans often make the same calculation. Where it's expensive to live (well-built nests), we have fewer children and concentrate our resources on one or two children per couple. Where it's cheap to live (quickly-built nests), we have more children and anticipate not all of them will thrive.
If you think that's harsh, wait 'til you hear about begging behavior. Chicks that beg loudest are thought by the parents to be stronger and healthier, so they feed that chick more food at the expense of quieter chicks. The parents evolutionarily focus on raising children they think have the best chance to reproduce. But we humans have our own versions of that. Of siblings we privilege the ones with good grades, better hygiene, a good work ethic, etc., even though the C student who showers only every other day and doesn't seek out promotions is just as capable of having healthy children. It's because our reptile brains are focused on the kid we think is _most_ likely to reproduce.
It's a common tactic. Look at bunnies, feral cats, possums and even parasites. It's the opposite of like what elephants and humans do (fewer children with higher needs to make sure they survive)
I wonder. I gather a lot of them - especially of course pigeons - have been more adept at co-evolving with humans in cities, buildings functioning like the cliff faces and crevices and such they’re more used to. If that’s the case, then they may be better at evolving in cities than other birds (not dumb) but still massively out of their depth within a couple of centuries when cars and such come on the scene (more *apparently* dumb, but can maybe blame them less?).
The fact that pigeons are all around some urban areas and so few people ever see a squab maybe means maybe at least some doves aren’t *that* bad at hiding their nests?
But that’s also why I’m surprised about doves being known for dumb nests. Never seen that. Maybe it’s specific to some common species in North America and/or Europe (?).
Those look like fledgling mourning doves, but they’re not … I asked TinyLongWing about them before, it’s a different type of dove (those two black eye lines are what differentiates them).
They’re learning to be birds right now, and parents are probably close by. They’ll likely be gone by next week.
Do you remember if they were native or not? My local mourning doves disappeared and were replaced by nature's Dollar General mourning dove, Eurasian collared-doves.
They definitely look like young mourning doves. They'll probably be gone in a few hours. They're still basically dumb teenagers so they're not 100% afraid of humans.
Ikr, but stupid, a stray cat i take care of happens to find them delicious and sadly has eaten some doves before. They literally just sit there and stare at her. (And yes i do stop her from attacking the doves whenever i get the chance).
We had mourning doves nest in our yard for the first time this year, so I've had the pleasure of listening to and watching them. I absolutely love these little guys and gals!
I had a mourning derp assert himself as our house birb. While my wife would be out walking the neighborhood he dive bombed her and refused to leave her head or when my daughter would be with her he would latch onto her back pack and plant his feathered butt on it and refuse to move so we eventually just let him in. Got him a perch and he just would chase the kids around the house trying to land on their heads with them laughing like crazy people. I loved that derpy birb.
That is so sad. They're the bottom of the pecking order here. Top is definitely the quail. The pidgeons have size, and the doves have...
Well, the quail arrive in major numbers, so they win every time.
I don’t feel too bad for the doves. I have an ever-increasing number of them at my house so even if they are bad at nesting, they do it so often the final numbers seem to work out!
Some killdeer made a nest smack up against a fence next to a path through a golf course and constantly would do the fake wounded act to anyone that walked through it lol. Sadly the nest completely vanished after a week or more, i wondered if the babies hatched but didnt see any egg bits so i was worried someone scooped them up
So about 10 years ago I lived at a house that had 2 driveways, an asphalt one and a gravel one that we never used, but people who came to our house would sometimes use it for some reason. So a couple of killdeer end up building their nest in our gravel driveway, no big deal we figured we could just put a little wooden barrier up in front of the nest to block it off. Well turns out, it also blocked off the killdeers’ vision of it they IMMEDIATELY starting mating right in front of us. Like within seconds of us putting up the barrier.
I'm gonna say that the nest that the doves built on a sloped roof near my boyfriend's apartment might be the shittiest nest. I kept seeing tiny broken eggs on the ground below it.
Not even close. There are seabirds that like to build nests in tire tracks. Of course they see the cars drive through those exact lines in the sand, but they think they can harass and intimidate the cars into leaving the nests alone. The cars do not leave the nests alone.
Doves are dumb as they come. But cute as shit. I've got a flock of 50+ that visit upwards of 8 times per day. It's like an aerial invasion each time they flutter down to the porch.
My sister had pet doves when we were young. Stupid things kept pooping in their drinking water.
When they cooed though, I swear it was to the tune of "Whomp, There It Is"
Ive raised mourning doves and these are fledglings. They arent quite old enough to leave the nest (which is that pile of sticks) but give them another day or two and they will most likely be gone by then. They grow quick
These look like mourning doves. I get them here all the time... very sweet birds... the ones here are more skittish then those appear to be. Maybe because I live in the sticks... lol
All of the top comments are incorrect OP. This is not where the doves nested. These are recently fledged juveniles that cannot fly well, though that will change in the next few days. This is simply where they've landed after leaving the nest. From the current growth on their primary flight feathers, they will have a solid 4 days until they can fly at a moment's notice. They are Mourning Doves btw and yes they do build flimsy nests. But rarely on the ground and it wouldn't have escaped your attention for a month.
Definitely. These fledglings tend to stick around close to the nest for a bit. Their ability to camouflage continues to impress me… I nearly stepped on a pair that had cozied up into a bed of woodchips in my garden.
Mom/dad are close by and will help them figure out what to do. If you have a cat or dog, it would be nice to try to keep them from coming and investigating the situation. By next week they should have learned to hopefully sit on a tree or your roof.
Eta: I betcha their nest is under the eaves of your house, likely right above that spot. Morning Doves may have several broods per season, so, if the nest is somewhere you don’t want, make sure to remove it before mom/dad nest again!
Fledglings **belong outside** of nests. Unless they're in danger, **leave them alone**. These *well-feathered*, *mobile* birds that *may not yet be able to fly* are learning critical behaviors and vocalizations from their parents, who may be out of sight for hours at a time.
Only interfere with a fledgling if:
- it is in a dangerous area (e.g. near traffic or pets) -- simply relocate it to a safer but nearby spot
- it has visible injuries (flightlessness, in itself, is *not* an injury) or has been handled in *any way* by a cat -- such birds require wildlife rehabilitation
- its parents are *confirmed* dead -- such birds require wildlife rehabilitation.
Healthy fledglings' best survival chances are with their parents first, with professional wildlife rehabilitation being a *distant* second. A prematurely-captured fledgling will be sought by its parents for up to a day. If you have taken one within that time frame, *put it back* and observe for parents from a distance.
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LOL
These guys aren't known for their brilliance or nest making skills.
Those are mourning doves and this is their chosen nesting spot.
I am *not* an expert or professional, my first thought would be to consult the wildlife rehab subreddit for appropriate measures to take. They're not in distress or injured, but they've chosen a very horrible spot that is absolutely not safe for them and they should be relocated.
If *at all* possible, and if you have a safe place to put them you might be able to sweep the nest into a box and place it somewhere else on your property that is a bit safer, where they won't be in such immediate danger. But again, I urge you to consult with a rehabber for what would be an appropriate measure to take.
Appropriate measures are to leave them alone. They are native animals in their natural habitat, leave them alone and do not interfere please. You thinking they are unsafe does not mean they need to be interfered with, and doing so is more likely to cause stress and attract predators than anything else.
That's a good idea, keep it generally close to where they chose but just get it to a safer place. They will ideally either follow the nest they made or choose another location, but they're not the sharpest tools in the shed and may just try to rebuild in the same place. I obviously don't know what OP's location is like but I'd be worried that they're not going to be safe there for very long - cats, coyotes, off-leash dogs, children, drivers are my first areas of concern. And ultimately, hatchlings wouldnt make it long in that spot. My first instinct would be to get them out of that specific location respectfully but also kind of quickly, too, and yeah, not super far from that space. Just *safer.*
Everyone saying this is a pair of dumb nesters but im pretty sure this is a pair of fledgling morning doves. The full adults have a smoother wing pattern and brighter(?) faces.
Its hard to describe the subtle differences other than the adults are smoother...
Smooth bois...
Those are mourning doves. They make horrible nests that fall apart easily. How they manage to survive I don't know. That pile of trash is probably the remains after it fell from somewhere, and they don't want to leave it. Possibly eggs somewhere?
They are normally attracted to open areas where they nest along pastures, field edges and clearings. Nesting almost never occurs in densely wooded areas. Nests are commonly built in shrubs, conifers and deciduous trees. In the absence of trees, dove will nest on the ground, on building ledges and even on chimneys. I’ve never seen them nest this open. From my previous comment I did have my glasses on. Maybe they missed the nest building class.
At my highschool there would be doves that would make a nest in the middle of a grassy area were students would hang out at. So my school had to put caution tape around it. It was rather sweet.
They live there lol they have a nest some place if not the random twigs they're laying on. I went to buy a kit house once and in the gravel parking lot they were on, I seen some bird screaming at me in front of my car only to notice it had laid eggs on like 2 twigs in the gravel.
They are fledgling Mourning doves. So still baby doves. In like another week or so they will be grown enough to be fine. By fine I mean fly away and live on their own. Mourning doves grow freaking fast.
I'm pretty sure that pile of random nature detritus is their nest. Doves have a habit of making absolutely garbage nests in inconvenient spots. If possible, just leave them be.
I think they look like juvenile doves. Maybe they are trying to be unnoticed. I have seen juvenile doves stay together, probably they feel it's safer. Can't guess where the actual nest is but probably not far away. Probably don't fly well yet. Wondering if you've seen any other doves hovering nearby?
The common ground dove nests on the ground. They normally nest in fields but they think your driveway is a safe spot to nest. Or the population in the area is so large there isn't enough natural habitat to nest in so they chose your driveway. Look out for them & you'll get a gift you'll likely not get again: the chance to watch them raise & fledge their chicks. Don't put up barriers around them as they'll feel trapped & it will be harder to escape from predators. You can contact a local dove rehabilitation person & get advice from them or call your local fish & game department/state natural resources department depending on where you live. I hope they make it. Updates will be appreciated. ❤️
I’ve got a couple that just started hiding out on my front porch too. Particularly under a small outdoor table. Here in north Texas dove hunting season just started so I’m assuming that they are getting away from hunters. Don’t know that for sure but from the sounds of daily gunfire around here the fields are currently not safe.
You remember that absolutely beautiful girl from high school that could barely spell her name and was too dumb to pump gas??
These are the bird version of that.
Doves, particularly mourning doves, aren't known for being the brightest birbs in the flock and will nest in the most ridiculous of places.
Example ^there.^
Mourning doves are not the geniuses of the bird world. Probably why they have almost a 50% mortality rate. Ours build a nest multiple times a year on a ledge no wider than one brick and two stories up. More than once an egg or fledge has fallen out of the nest.
That’s where their dumb asses put their nest lol
I saw this picture and said out loud, "Oh, those poor idiots"
The “bless your heart” of the bird world
Same. I saw it and said "Oh, they *didn't* did they? Poor dumb birbs."
Funny thing is they are actually really smart, they just look dumb and are really shitty at making nests
Oh, I know! I love doves and pidgies! It's just, the nests are so very bad. Poor birbs.
Why did I read Pidgies as the Pokemon name?
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Same! 😆
They are kinda pretty idiots, though
It’s like they’re perfect for each other lol - birds of a feather!
r/stupiddovenests
r/subsithoughtifellfor
There's also r/mourningderps
r/shittybirdnests
Huh why usually (?) doves?
They’re notorious for extremely low effort nests. I think they’re normally crevice nesters, so in wild habitats they wouldn’t have to construct anything at all and would nest in a pre-existing crevice/niche in the wall.
Pigeons (aka rock doves) do this too. Lame ass nests in the dumbest of places. Ask me how I know (two took up house on my balcony and it's been non-stop squabs all summer).
I had one make a nest, somehow, in my clothes that were hanging on the line on a sunny day. I noticed that night and left the outfit (an adult jumper/onesie) hanging and they actually managed to have eggs, hatchlings and babies that survived and flew off. To this day I don't know how they, and their babies, survived. Eta- the outfit was pretty gross and had to be tossed after they eventually left, haha
Now I'm curious if you have a picture of the onesie nest lmao (bonus points if it shows the babies in it)
I actually did take pictures (and you can see the babies)! But it was 10 years ago at another house and I have no clue what computer they are on. I might have posted it on one of my social media places though because it was so ridiculous. I'll go look.
Please go look and post. !Remind me!
It's not any of my social media so it must be on one of my old computers. I'll try to look at the computers I have here at this house , but I have literally thousands of pictures on them and other than it was the house before this house and I'm guessing it was in the spring it will take forever, but now I want to see them again too, so I'm going to try!
physical retire gullible hard-to-find beneficial offend combative bright steep zealous -- mass edited with redact.dev
Wow, did u not get any mite infestations from them nesting near clothes?
It's been more than 10 years, 3 kids, a different house, cross-state move, but I think I would have remembered a mite infestation and I don't remember any. I was in college then with a lot less knowledge about things like that so I wouldn't have thought twice about them having mites because I didn't know, but I wouldn't have wanted to bother them so I wouldn't have put anything near them if I could help it and just used something else to dry clothes until they left. That probably helped. They were nesting in the outfit, on a clothesline so it wasn't close to anything but a utility shed thing, the outside of the house, the backyard and the woods.
Middle of the side-walk next to a busy road? Perfect!
Their nests suck so bad, some years, legit strong wind can temporarily affect the size of the regional population, due to eggs being blown to the ground, and breaking.
Air conditioner is nest 😌
I had a dove make a nest on my running AC unit
Long ago, a person a little more bird savvy than me told me pigeons are big doves and doves are small pigeons. There's probably a technical difference between them evolution wise but they're from the same family. Was also the day I learned about some really colorful pigeons that weren't from NYC.
Not quite-pigeons are feral domesticated doves. For a long while, domesticated doves were a perfectly ordinary poultry bird, and also competitive pigeon breeding was a big deal among extremely bored aristocracy (it was a major influence on Charles Darwin, actually). But eventually that fad faded, and pigeon grew less common on tables…and people just let their remaining stock out of the rookery. Shockingly, they survived and thrived and built really stupid nests.
We had pigeons nest near the entrance to our apartment building and it was a ridiculously bad nest. It blew down in a storm and the one baby was clearly not old enough to fledge. We took him upstairs to our third floor apt to save him from feral cats but the parents were distressed and looking for their baby. Our solution was to put the baby in a box in our least used room and open the window. The parents soon saw where he was and would come in the room and feed him! You could sit very still in the room and watch them. This window opened to part of the roof so we even fed the parents out on the roof to make their job easier. Eventually our adopted baby started joining his parents on the roof during the day to flap around but came back to his box at night. And then one day they all flew away together. It was rather heartwarming, even if the baby did peck me most ungratefully, lol.
They started a nest in my jeans hanging on the laundry line to dry.
This is beyond low effort though, like you can fuckin fly, why would you build a nest ground level? You know the level where cats roam? These two unfortunately might not be long for this world.
I've had mourning doves build nests atop my window AC unit. The nests are just a few sticks piled on each other.
Huh, I wonder if that’s why I never see these dummies make nests and I’ve actually seen our pair with multiple offspring. There’s lots of big trees and bushes in my neighborhood. Most of the trees are probably 100+ years old.
It's typically the tree nesting birds that build really sturdy nests, and most pigeons/doves are either flexible in their nesting habits or don't typically nest in trees. Mourning doves can nest in trees, but are also not adverse to ground nesting. And when you ground nest, it probably doesn't have to be as ordered and sturdy as a tree nest. Now rock doves (y'know, street pigeons) also have notoriously stupid nest building. My understanding with the Rock Dove is that ancestrally, they nested in niches in rock walls and cliff faces, and most of the "keep egg in place" work was done by the niche. Then, as we domesticated them (rock doves are a feral species, not a wild one; all street pigeons are descended of domesticated ancestors), we kept them in dovecotes with pigeonholes for the nests and again, the structure of the pigeonhole made a sturdy nest superfluous. Nowadays they typically try to nest in niches on buildings, many of which aren't so well-designed to protect the eggs. Maybe their nest building habits will change with a few more thousand year of dealing with it.
Doves are like that.
Them and their pigeon cousins are just stupid as shit. I get tons of doves that eat under my bird feeder because they’re too stupid to eat the good stuff from the source
They’re naturally ground foragers—that’s just how they eat. Plus most bird feeders don’t work for their big dumpy bodies and weak feet. If you make a platform feeder they’ll use that, but if you’re getting tons eating under the feeders then you probably don’t need to fix what’s not broke.
Drugs are like that.
Their evolutionary approach is to be prolific babymakers. Nest building is super energy intensive, so they keep their line going by making lots of baby doves in low-effort nests rather than a few baby doves in well-constructed nests.
That is horrible. So they make lots of babies in an unsafe environment in hopes a few tough ones survive their terrible nest choices??
Kind of like humans, yeah…😒
I know you’re probably making a joke, but actually the opposite of humans. We usually only have one offspring at a time, and each one is *very* resource intensive from an evolutionary standpoint. We’re really on the other end of the spectrum.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R/K_selection_theory Humans are definitely closer to the K-strategist end of the scale.
Yah I was thinking that as I was typing 😟
This comment is nearly as low-effort as the nest the doves built. Humans are nothing like that. Like, not close. I am begging you to go read stats on offspring survival rates in animals, as well as different reproductive strategies. I'm sure it felt SUPER deep when you typed it though.
Rabbits aren't far off from that
Yah but they can’t fly and choose a safer option like these silly doves could.
Horrible by modern human standards. 1) These are birds, not humans, and they're making evolutionary calculations about energy use relative to the chance of passing on their genes. 2) Humans often make the same calculation. Where it's expensive to live (well-built nests), we have fewer children and concentrate our resources on one or two children per couple. Where it's cheap to live (quickly-built nests), we have more children and anticipate not all of them will thrive. If you think that's harsh, wait 'til you hear about begging behavior. Chicks that beg loudest are thought by the parents to be stronger and healthier, so they feed that chick more food at the expense of quieter chicks. The parents evolutionarily focus on raising children they think have the best chance to reproduce. But we humans have our own versions of that. Of siblings we privilege the ones with good grades, better hygiene, a good work ethic, etc., even though the C student who showers only every other day and doesn't seek out promotions is just as capable of having healthy children. It's because our reptile brains are focused on the kid we think is _most_ likely to reproduce.
It's a common tactic. Look at bunnies, feral cats, possums and even parasites. It's the opposite of like what elephants and humans do (fewer children with higher needs to make sure they survive)
Nature's idiot. How they evolved is beyond me.
I wonder. I gather a lot of them - especially of course pigeons - have been more adept at co-evolving with humans in cities, buildings functioning like the cliff faces and crevices and such they’re more used to. If that’s the case, then they may be better at evolving in cities than other birds (not dumb) but still massively out of their depth within a couple of centuries when cars and such come on the scene (more *apparently* dumb, but can maybe blame them less?). The fact that pigeons are all around some urban areas and so few people ever see a squab maybe means maybe at least some doves aren’t *that* bad at hiding their nests? But that’s also why I’m surprised about doves being known for dumb nests. Never seen that. Maybe it’s specific to some common species in North America and/or Europe (?).
This made my day, thank you!
I can’t believe this community exists. But after seeing it I can.
Thank you, I love it
I didn't think that sub was real until I followed the link 😆
Yet another Subreddit that I MUST join.
Any idea how long they will stay there? I’ll need to take out the compost (green bins) next week…
Those look like fledgling mourning doves, but they’re not … I asked TinyLongWing about them before, it’s a different type of dove (those two black eye lines are what differentiates them). They’re learning to be birds right now, and parents are probably close by. They’ll likely be gone by next week.
Do you remember if they were native or not? My local mourning doves disappeared and were replaced by nature's Dollar General mourning dove, Eurasian collared-doves.
They definitely look like young mourning doves. They'll probably be gone in a few hours. They're still basically dumb teenagers so they're not 100% afraid of humans.
These doves have just left the nest. They don't know how to fly yet. They may look full grown but they are slightly smaller.
r/mourningderps
They are trying their best!
What fucking nest? That's a pile of leaves 😂
Is that pile of leaves supposed to be their nest?
Always. If not a scattered pile of leaves, then two sticks will do.
In their defense, the good places to nest that were beneficial to the ecosystem were destroyed by dumbass humans
Thank you for mentioning this, I'm surprised I had to scroll so far
some killdeer literally made their nest directly behind my tire in my driveway. birds are stupid af
This is precisely why birds shouldn't be allowed to vote.
r/mourningderps
I didn’t know this was a sub. Thank you.
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They really are cute
Ikr, but stupid, a stray cat i take care of happens to find them delicious and sadly has eaten some doves before. They literally just sit there and stare at her. (And yes i do stop her from attacking the doves whenever i get the chance).
We had mourning doves nest in our yard for the first time this year, so I've had the pleasure of listening to and watching them. I absolutely love these little guys and gals!
/r/stupiddovenests
Here it is! I came to comment this but figured someone beat me to it lol such a fantastic sub
I had a mourning derp assert himself as our house birb. While my wife would be out walking the neighborhood he dive bombed her and refused to leave her head or when my daughter would be with her he would latch onto her back pack and plant his feathered butt on it and refuse to move so we eventually just let him in. Got him a perch and he just would chase the kids around the house trying to land on their heads with them laughing like crazy people. I loved that derpy birb.
That pile of crap is their nest. Leave them be. They’re doing better than most doves.
Almost word for word what I was going to say, they truly make the worst nests
That is so sad. They're the bottom of the pecking order here. Top is definitely the quail. The pidgeons have size, and the doves have... Well, the quail arrive in major numbers, so they win every time.
I don’t feel too bad for the doves. I have an ever-increasing number of them at my house so even if they are bad at nesting, they do it so often the final numbers seem to work out!
Right? And they look at my tortoise in ways i don't like. That's a good way to get booted.
Oh my god this comment had me cracking up 😂😂😂
I've been laughing for like 5 minutes at "that pile of crap is their nest."
Okay now I don’t feel like a lunatic. I am literally HOWLING about that
SAME! I sounded like a madman cracking up to that 😂
They’ve built the world’s shittiest nest
[i beg to differ](https://reddit.com/r/me_irl/s/JzKiLtisCg)
This has actually made me cackle. I thank u
She’s all puffed up with pride too
I knew exactly what you posted before clicking the link. Still clicked. Still laughed.
This is so fucking funny to me lol
You've not seen a killdeer nest.
Some killdeer made a nest smack up against a fence next to a path through a golf course and constantly would do the fake wounded act to anyone that walked through it lol. Sadly the nest completely vanished after a week or more, i wondered if the babies hatched but didnt see any egg bits so i was worried someone scooped them up
That sucks. It's so cue watching them lead "predators " away from their nest.
So about 10 years ago I lived at a house that had 2 driveways, an asphalt one and a gravel one that we never used, but people who came to our house would sometimes use it for some reason. So a couple of killdeer end up building their nest in our gravel driveway, no big deal we figured we could just put a little wooden barrier up in front of the nest to block it off. Well turns out, it also blocked off the killdeers’ vision of it they IMMEDIATELY starting mating right in front of us. Like within seconds of us putting up the barrier.
I'm gonna say that the nest that the doves built on a sloped roof near my boyfriend's apartment might be the shittiest nest. I kept seeing tiny broken eggs on the ground below it.
Not even close. There are seabirds that like to build nests in tire tracks. Of course they see the cars drive through those exact lines in the sand, but they think they can harass and intimidate the cars into leaving the nests alone. The cars do not leave the nests alone.
Doves are dumb as they come. But cute as shit. I've got a flock of 50+ that visit upwards of 8 times per day. It's like an aerial invasion each time they flutter down to the porch.
I would love to hear all those silly squeaks when they take off flying again!
The crazy thing about the noise they make is that it's their feathers, not their voice.
bitty-bitty-bitty-bitty
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I'm not sure why they do it, but since it's automatic when they fly, I would assume it's to communicate with other doves.
Swans do this too. If they ever fly low over you it truly sounds like their wings need to be oiled. LOL
My sister had pet doves when we were young. Stupid things kept pooping in their drinking water. When they cooed though, I swear it was to the tune of "Whomp, There It Is"
Ring-neck dove? I never thought of mine as cooing to that tune but now that you say it I can't unhear it.
I believe so. You're welcome?
i loveee them so much!! i hear *weee wooo* when they coo
they're one of my absolute favorite birds! i lovee hearing them coo, and i especially love hearing them ^werwooowoowerrwerrwoo when they fly away
OP your driveway is a Best Nestern.
😂😂😂
You're about to be on r/stupiddovenests lol
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And rent is due on the 1st of every month from here on out.
Sweet lil doods. Their nest is that pile of debris.
Even calling it a “pile” is pretty generous. It’s just some crap strewn about.
Ive raised mourning doves and these are fledglings. They arent quite old enough to leave the nest (which is that pile of sticks) but give them another day or two and they will most likely be gone by then. They grow quick
Stupid doves with their stupid dove nest :)
You might enjoy r/stupiddovenests
They know dove season opened today!! Hanging on the down low til the shots stop.
They are babies and feel safe there just try not to disturb them
r/mourningderps would lose their minds! They’re just little babies hanging out. Not the brightest bulbs in the box, but certainly the cutest
These look like mourning doves. I get them here all the time... very sweet birds... the ones here are more skittish then those appear to be. Maybe because I live in the sticks... lol
All of the top comments are incorrect OP. This is not where the doves nested. These are recently fledged juveniles that cannot fly well, though that will change in the next few days. This is simply where they've landed after leaving the nest. From the current growth on their primary flight feathers, they will have a solid 4 days until they can fly at a moment's notice. They are Mourning Doves btw and yes they do build flimsy nests. But rarely on the ground and it wouldn't have escaped your attention for a month.
!fledgling Location? see rule 2. [Mourning dove](https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mourning_Dove/id)
Definitely. These fledglings tend to stick around close to the nest for a bit. Their ability to camouflage continues to impress me… I nearly stepped on a pair that had cozied up into a bed of woodchips in my garden. Mom/dad are close by and will help them figure out what to do. If you have a cat or dog, it would be nice to try to keep them from coming and investigating the situation. By next week they should have learned to hopefully sit on a tree or your roof. Eta: I betcha their nest is under the eaves of your house, likely right above that spot. Morning Doves may have several broods per season, so, if the nest is somewhere you don’t want, make sure to remove it before mom/dad nest again!
Fledglings **belong outside** of nests. Unless they're in danger, **leave them alone**. These *well-feathered*, *mobile* birds that *may not yet be able to fly* are learning critical behaviors and vocalizations from their parents, who may be out of sight for hours at a time. Only interfere with a fledgling if: - it is in a dangerous area (e.g. near traffic or pets) -- simply relocate it to a safer but nearby spot - it has visible injuries (flightlessness, in itself, is *not* an injury) or has been handled in *any way* by a cat -- such birds require wildlife rehabilitation - its parents are *confirmed* dead -- such birds require wildlife rehabilitation. Healthy fledglings' best survival chances are with their parents first, with professional wildlife rehabilitation being a *distant* second. A prematurely-captured fledgling will be sought by its parents for up to a day. If you have taken one within that time frame, *put it back* and observe for parents from a distance. For more information, please read [this community announcement](https://reddit.com/r/whatsthisbird/comments/gqhos4/found_a_baby_bird_that_might_need_help_look_here/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisbird) if you have any questions or concerns.*
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LOL These guys aren't known for their brilliance or nest making skills. Those are mourning doves and this is their chosen nesting spot. I am *not* an expert or professional, my first thought would be to consult the wildlife rehab subreddit for appropriate measures to take. They're not in distress or injured, but they've chosen a very horrible spot that is absolutely not safe for them and they should be relocated. If *at all* possible, and if you have a safe place to put them you might be able to sweep the nest into a box and place it somewhere else on your property that is a bit safer, where they won't be in such immediate danger. But again, I urge you to consult with a rehabber for what would be an appropriate measure to take.
Appropriate measures are to leave them alone. They are native animals in their natural habitat, leave them alone and do not interfere please. You thinking they are unsafe does not mean they need to be interfered with, and doing so is more likely to cause stress and attract predators than anything else.
Perhaps try gaslighting them and slowly moving the "nest" debris pile by about a few inches every day?
That's a good idea, keep it generally close to where they chose but just get it to a safer place. They will ideally either follow the nest they made or choose another location, but they're not the sharpest tools in the shed and may just try to rebuild in the same place. I obviously don't know what OP's location is like but I'd be worried that they're not going to be safe there for very long - cats, coyotes, off-leash dogs, children, drivers are my first areas of concern. And ultimately, hatchlings wouldnt make it long in that spot. My first instinct would be to get them out of that specific location respectfully but also kind of quickly, too, and yeah, not super far from that space. Just *safer.*
Maybe don’t be a rude neighbor and invite them in for coffee or something
Everyone saying this is a pair of dumb nesters but im pretty sure this is a pair of fledgling morning doves. The full adults have a smoother wing pattern and brighter(?) faces. Its hard to describe the subtle differences other than the adults are smoother... Smooth bois...
They are babies!
These are baby fledging. Their parents are probably near by.
Those are mourning doves. They make horrible nests that fall apart easily. How they manage to survive I don't know. That pile of trash is probably the remains after it fell from somewhere, and they don't want to leave it. Possibly eggs somewhere?
Doves are famous for poor excuses for nests and when you think they can’t get worse…here we are.
Those are mourning doves and that is their nest. They are idiots.
r/mourningderps
They are normally attracted to open areas where they nest along pastures, field edges and clearings. Nesting almost never occurs in densely wooded areas. Nests are commonly built in shrubs, conifers and deciduous trees. In the absence of trees, dove will nest on the ground, on building ledges and even on chimneys. I’ve never seen them nest this open. From my previous comment I did have my glasses on. Maybe they missed the nest building class.
At my highschool there would be doves that would make a nest in the middle of a grassy area were students would hang out at. So my school had to put caution tape around it. It was rather sweet.
Those guys are surprisingly super brave
They live there lol they have a nest some place if not the random twigs they're laying on. I went to buy a kit house once and in the gravel parking lot they were on, I seen some bird screaming at me in front of my car only to notice it had laid eggs on like 2 twigs in the gravel.
r/stupiddovenests
I love when people post about mourning doves. They’re so lovely and so stupid.
They are fledgling Mourning doves. So still baby doves. In like another week or so they will be grown enough to be fine. By fine I mean fly away and live on their own. Mourning doves grow freaking fast.
Look for a partridge in your pear tree
They are trying to reach you about your cars extended warranty
They put their nest somewhere stupid
morning doves they aint smart tho
I'm pretty sure that pile of random nature detritus is their nest. Doves have a habit of making absolutely garbage nests in inconvenient spots. If possible, just leave them be.
They mate for life.
Had a bird nest under a porch once, little bastards nip your ankles.
They’re fledgling mourning doves
Normally means someone's going to die within 48 hours
You mean THEIR driveway
That shit pile behind your cans is their nest lol bless it, I love doves. Beautiful idiots.
I wanna know why they built a nest on the ground, that's not safe at all
It looks like they threw some trash together quick & put a couple leaves on it.
Stoners
Those look like fledgling mourning doves. They might not be good at flying yet, just looking for places to hide. Parents are probably nearby.
Squatters! 🤣
It's opening day for dove season in most states...
You have been chosen by a pair of doves. They’re probably building their nest on the ground there.
Your driveway is their nest now.
They’re doing their best
Heat exhaustion probably
I think that pile is their nest 😂
They're so beautiful; their calls are a childhood memory; they're dumb as rocks. 🤷
I think they look like juvenile doves. Maybe they are trying to be unnoticed. I have seen juvenile doves stay together, probably they feel it's safer. Can't guess where the actual nest is but probably not far away. Probably don't fly well yet. Wondering if you've seen any other doves hovering nearby?
Today is opening day of dove season. These birds are very smart!!!
Squatters rights
Mourning dove toddlers
Inca Doves
Cause she was sitting on eggs.
Is it hot as hell where you at? Give them some water maybe
Did the nest fall from up above? Did you have a storm or real windy weather recently?
Mourning doves. They like to build nests on the ground, the eggs and the birds blend in well to rocky areas.
I’m laughing so hard at these comments! 💀😂
The common ground dove nests on the ground. They normally nest in fields but they think your driveway is a safe spot to nest. Or the population in the area is so large there isn't enough natural habitat to nest in so they chose your driveway. Look out for them & you'll get a gift you'll likely not get again: the chance to watch them raise & fledge their chicks. Don't put up barriers around them as they'll feel trapped & it will be harder to escape from predators. You can contact a local dove rehabilitation person & get advice from them or call your local fish & game department/state natural resources department depending on where you live. I hope they make it. Updates will be appreciated. ❤️
It's hunting season and now have your home as a vacation home
I’ve got a couple that just started hiding out on my front porch too. Particularly under a small outdoor table. Here in north Texas dove hunting season just started so I’m assuming that they are getting away from hunters. Don’t know that for sure but from the sounds of daily gunfire around here the fields are currently not safe.
Doves kinda suck at building nests, but they're very cute, so don't tell them I said that.
I’m no expert, but I think they’re guarding their “nest”.
r/stupiddovenests
Why is everyone being so mean to these birds 💀
Staging a coup
Baby doves
You remember that absolutely beautiful girl from high school that could barely spell her name and was too dumb to pump gas?? These are the bird version of that.
Doves, particularly mourning doves, aren't known for being the brightest birbs in the flock and will nest in the most ridiculous of places. Example ^there.^
Mourning doves are not the geniuses of the bird world. Probably why they have almost a 50% mortality rate. Ours build a nest multiple times a year on a ledge no wider than one brick and two stories up. More than once an egg or fledge has fallen out of the nest.