Desperate to know if I have two male doves or not

Chasing the mourning dove around could have been more about territory than gender. I introduced a male diamond dove to my female and she attacked him immediately because it was "her" cage. I didn't expect it because I assumed males were the territorial ones but I was wrong. As for the mourning dove and your ringneck, they're different species so that might have heightened the likelihood of conflict. Mourning doves and ringnecks can create viable hybrids but I'd imagine you'd need a single male. As far as your ringneck pair is concerned, they're both in a closed relationship regardless of gender. If your friend insists it's a girl maybe it is, maybe she needs some time before she lays a few eggs. Maybe she's a rare specimen that won't lay eggs but is biologically female.

It's probably for the best that the mourning dove situation didn't pan out, it might have had some parasites (nothing serious I bet, but maybe stuff that could be a nuisance). If the mourning dove had been a tame female and your male ringneck was single it might have gone differently, who knows. Usually it's best to leave feral and wild birds alone unless they choose to join your flock. If a feral pigeon flew into your coop one day (if you had / have one) and was bonded to one of your birds, I'd say if you aren't too worried about the offspring's appearance and pedigree, to just let them be together. As for mourning doves or other free flying birds; you never know if you're taking one of a pair who has chicks back home. Doves and pigeons alternate sitting on eggs as I am sure you know so you might catch a husband or wife while they're taking an egg-sitting break and then the other parent and their chicks are screwed. I am not saying I am damning all those who have taken in / caught feral or wild birds. I am just saying that it's best to avoid it whenever possible.

Eric

The will mourning dove was hanging around and so thought maybe the two were interested in each other. I noted a lot of shimmery color to the visitor and that along with the chasing in the aviary clued me off to the fact that it might be another male. I have read too that head shape can indicate sex...is that true? Females round tops while males more flat.

Oh I see, that makes sense. Well you tried and they didn't get hitched, the bird got to leave without any issues, so no harm done. I have heard about the head shape thing but I feel like it's probably not the most reliable method. I've tried choosing a female using that method and lost so I'm not too big on it. I'd imagine your friend, and others who have many doves and years of experience with them, would have a better idea of what differentiates a male and a female physically. I've heard feet color and leg width distance can be an indicator. The only methods I trust at all involve how a confirmed male behaves around the female in question and whether or not she lays eggs. Let me know what happens regardless. Try to see if they'll sit on fake eggs before you risk any real ones.

Eric

Thanks for sharing so much insight with me Eric. Well the eggs, if I get any, are just thrown away by my friends. They dont want a proliferation of doves and they say it is too hard to rehome the offspring so they always take the eggs away except for a few opportunities for their pair to breed. I have a large aviary and I will put any offspring in it. I wont have to worry about rehoming any youngsters.

Robin

Usually, Both mounting n no eggs after a month, to two tops, means two boys or two girls..
why not have friends raise few pairs up for you?

Im sure they would except they havent had much luck with the offspring being very healthy. Even the one they gave me had pigeon pox hence his name Cyrano, He is over the pox but continues to have a bump on his beak tip. I just may have to exchange the "female" I was sold to go with Cyrano for an other hopefully female. The guy is agreeable to the exchange but he insists that the one he sold me is a female so Im waiting a bit longer and hopefully eggs will appear.

Lobzi said:

does the female ever mount the male? I have noticed that although my original dove does most of the mounting it does go back a forth a bit. That has me most concerned.

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Mine did that all the time. At first I thought I'd gotten the genders mixed up. Then when I saw it happening the other way round I just concludes my birds were, uh, a little freaky.

Funny but I guess it really doesnt matter who is on top....

Lobzi: No problem Robin, I hope it all works out for you.

MagicPidge. They've mounted each other (different partner on top) and produced viable offspring? That's definitely interesting news.

Eric

Szulptist said:

Lobzi: No problem Robin, I hope it all works out for you.


MagicPidge. They've mounted each other (different partner on top) and produced viable offspring? That's definitely interesting news.


Eric

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Oh, no! I always removed their eggs before anything could happen. Would've been an interesting experiment though, now you mention it