Flightless mourning dove found

[SniperGoose]

I would offer it some time in your cage outdoors, with the cage door open when you think it may be time to let her go. But I would be careful with timing, doves are migratory. I live in SE Michigan and there are still a few around here, last week there was a flock of about 40 in front of my home, so they are certainly flocked up and moving, and since the cold snap hit a few days ago here I haven't seen a single dove.

If doves are anything like pigeons, if this one lost its mate it will have no problem with finding another, given the chance. But, I do have one cock pigeon who lost his mate about a year ago, has not paired with another, and sits in the aviary very often by himself looking around, and he is my only bird who will fly out of the loft without me wanting him to (he flies out over my head when I open the door, and he goes out to the telephone wire or my roof, sits there for about 15 mins, then comes back in. Almost like he's been looking for his mate for over a year....

I'll be sure to do that if/when the time comes! I hadn't given thought to the migrating thing actually. I never knew doves migrated. I see mourning doves here all year round in central PA, so I don't think it would matter too much what time I released it.

Awww that's so sad. The poor fella

 

[SniperGoose]

Sounds like you are doing the right things with this bird. Did you check her keel to see if she is thin? It should be well padded. She may be a young bird that just isn't doing a good job finding it's own meals. A few days rest and good meals may do the trick. Wild bird seed is fine, you can add some safflower seed to it to provide more calories and fat. Doves will mourn a lost mate, but she would still certainly have flown away from you, and will find another mate next year, so I don't think that is the problem. BTW, you can't tell the sex from their color. When I was a kid, my dad rescued a mourning dove that had an injured leg, and that kept it from getting off the ground. After the leg healed, it was able to take off ok, and flew well. We had it for several months, before it got loose one day, and went off to live it's life.

Good to hear! I checked it and it's definitely not thin. So I think it was definitely still able to find food despite not being able to fly. What's even more impressive is that it somehow managed to avoid being eaten by any of our outdoor cats or any other predators in the area for a few days. Sure is a lucky dove for surviving all that. It's supposed to dump 9" of snow here tonight too so I'm very glad I caught it before that! It's still looking great, and is still eating and drinking. So I'm happy with that, but I'd love to see some progress with the flight issue. Though that will probably take some more time.
I had it out today so I could clean the cage and it was walking around the room a little bit. It tried to fly a few times, but still wasn't able to. Just gets a few inches off the ground for a split second and that's it. It'll still need some more rest before that improves I think.

Oh you can't? Is there any way to tell what gender they are then? I guess the gender really doesn't matter to me, as I'll still be helping it recover regardless, but I am kind of curious!
Aw, sounds like you guys took care of it!

 

[LamarshFish]

I'll be sure to do that if/when the time comes! I hadn't given thought to the migrating thing actually. I never knew doves migrated. I see mourning doves here all year round in central PA, so I don't think it would matter too much what time I released it.

Awww that's so sad. The poor fella

Yup, mourning doves are migratory birds. But yes, I also see them pretty much year round here in Michigan. But I think during big cold snaps they move out. Ducks and geese are migratory too, but we have some groups here in Michigan that will stick around all winter so long as there is unfrozen water. Same likely applies to mourning doves, so long as they have food (access to the ground, not too much snow or frozen ground), they will stick around. In sum, I'd just be careful releasing it if it is very nasty out, lots of snow, super cold temps and frozen ground.

 

[jak2002003]

You are doing a very kind thing for this dove, which surely would have been killed by a predator or starved to death by now if you left if to its fate.

From the photos the dove seems in very good health, with all its feathers in good shape.

I would suggest a couple of reasons the bird can not fly.

1. It has missing flight feathers on one or both wings (like when people clip their parrots feathers). Can you gently stretch out the wings and see if all the flight feather are there?

2. It has an old injury, either a break or dislocation, which has healed up, but the wing or joint in is not in the wrong position and makes flight impossible.

3. It flew into a window and is stunned or has brain damage.

Starvation or disease can make the bird too weak to fly, but you say it appears healthy and is a good weight, so I think you can rule those out.

I rescued a dove years back from the middle of a busy road. She had a dislocated wing and was not able to fly. The vets could not fix it as it was an old injury and the muscles had fused together. She was in no pain and was in good health, so I kept her as a pet. She was allowed to walk about freely outside in the garden when I was there (she liked to hang around my finch cage to eat the spilt seeds). and she got to socialise with the wild doves. She has a very happy life and they don't miss the 'wild' once they get over their fear of you and get all the food, water and care they need.

Here she is....

 

[SniperGoose]

You are doing a very kind thing for this dove, which surely would have been killed by a predator or starved to death by now if you left if to its fate.

From the photos the dove seems in very good health, with all its feathers in good shape.

I would suggest a couple of reasons the bird can not fly.

1. It has missing flight feathers on one or both wings (like when people clip their parrots feathers). Can you gently stretch out the wings and see if all the flight feather are there?

2. It has an old injury, either a break or dislocation, which has healed up, but the wing or joint in is not in the wrong position and makes flight impossible.

3. It flew into a window and is stunned or has brain damage.

Starvation or disease can make the bird too weak to fly, but you say it appears healthy and is a good weight, so I think you can rule those out.

I rescued a dove years back from the middle of a busy road. She had a dislocated wing and was not able to fly. The vets could not fix it as it was an old injury and the muscles had fused together. She was in no pain and was in good health, so I kept her as a pet. She was allowed to walk about freely outside in the garden when I was there (she liked to hang around my finch cage to eat the spilt seeds). and she got to socialise with the wild doves. She has a very happy life and they don't miss the 'wild' once they get over their fear of you and get all the food, water and care they need.

Here she is....

View attachment 1592035

Well the wings were the first thing I checked when I caught the dove. It's not missing any feathers at all there. So I don't think it could be that. It could possibly be an old injury. I'd have no way of knowing that for sure, but definitely possible. I don't think it has any brain damage though, as it acts like a normal bird (aside from not being able to fly). It could have gotten stunned somehow, but I guess time will tell if it was that! So far there's been no progress with the flying issue. But otherwise it seems to be very comfortable.

Awww what a beautiful dove you have! What kind is she? It's nice you were able to give her a good home!

 

[jak2002003]

Well the wings were the first thing I checked when I caught the dove. It's not missing any feathers at all there. So I don't think it could be that. It could possibly be an old injury. I'd have no way of knowing that for sure, but definitely possible. I don't think it has any brain damage though, as it acts like a normal bird (aside from not being able to fly). It could have gotten stunned somehow, but I guess time will tell if it was that! So far there's been no progress with the flying issue. But otherwise it seems to be very comfortable.

Awww what a beautiful dove you have! What kind is she? It's nice you were able to give her a good home!

She is a spotted turtle dove. I live in Thailand the they are very common around villages and even in the city. We also get zebra doves a lot.

 

[SniperGoose]

Final update on the dove!

It's made tremendous progress with flying the past few days. Just 3 days ago it could fly a few feet, and now it can really fly! I guess it must have been stunned or something? But regardless, it's nearly fully recovered now. We're experiencing a cold snap right now, so I can't let it go for a few days. Sunday looks like it will be much warmer, so I may release it then! I'm so happy it was able to recover and that I could help it do so.

 

[WVduckchick]

Excellent news. Great job!!

 

[backyard pigeons]

Good job taking care of it and willing to release it!

 

[SniperGoose]

Good job taking care of it and willing to release it!

Thanks! I'll miss the little fella, but I'm sure it'll be happy to get back outside where it belongs!