Ringneck Dove brooding question

[JaeG]

We had a Ringneck fly in one day and land on our heads. We couldn't find its owner so it now lives in our aviary with finches and bourkes parakeets. It is quite tame and loves sitting on my head and has taught our young bourkes that people aren't to be feared. They now climb all over me.

At first I thought it was a girl as it very rarely cooed. Then it took over a food dish, sat in it quivering its wings and cooing constantly, and now it's staying in the food dish as though nesting.

There are no eggs so I'm figuring it's a boy, but is it normal for a single male dove to decide to sit and brood in the absence of a partner?

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I don't have experience with ringnecks in particular but I know pigeons don't have a mating season. Captive pigeons can and will lay eggs continually. (The breed like rabbits)

http://www.dovepage.com/species/domestic/Ringneck/ringneckdove.html

This site could be helpful.

 

[jak2002003]

I keep and breed lots of ringneck doves. Firstly I will say that your dove looks very cute!!!

Secondly, he is showing normal behaviour for a male ringneck dove. The males like to sit in potential nesting place, crouch down, coo and display... all in the hopes of tempting they mate to nest there... kind of showing their mates some good options for potential homes for the family.

As you don't have any female I think he is doing it for your benefit! Maybe give him a treat of a couple of fake eggs, or small white marbles so he can have fun brooding them... he will get bored after they don't hatch and go back to his normal self for a while.. before going back to finding a new nesting place to start the process all over again.

You could also put a couple of fertile quail eggs under him... making sure you note the dates they would be due to hatch.. and when the chicks hatch take them out and put them in a brooder to raise (as the dove will not be able to look after them).

 

[JaeG]

I keep and breed lots of ringneck doves. Firstly I will say that your dove looks very cute!!!

Secondly, he is showing normal behaviour for a male ringneck dove. The males like to sit in potential nesting place, crouch down, coo and display... all in the hopes of tempting they mate to nest there... kind of showing their mates some good options for potential homes for the family.

As you don't have any female I think he is doing it for your benefit! Maybe give him a treat of a couple of fake eggs, or small white marbles so he can have fun brooding them... he will get bored after they don't hatch and go back to his normal self for a while.. before going back to finding a new nesting place to start the process all over again.

You could also put a couple of fertile quail eggs under him... making sure you note the dates they would be due to hatch.. and when the chicks hatch take them out and put them in a brooder to raise (as the dove will not be able to look after them).

Thank you so much. I do have some Button quail eggs I could put under him. I have one that's a serial layer but doesn't look like she'll sit, and one out in our aviary who has started sitting and I don't think her eggs will be fertile (she's still living with her parents), so I've started some eggs for her in the incubator with the intention of doing a swap near hatch time. But if our Dilly Dove can help out that's great. I'll give him a couple. He really is the sweetest thing.

 

[BaJa]

I would give him a mate asap. not sure about the quail egg thing. ringnecks switch (female at night, male during the day)

 

[JaeG]

I would give him a mate asap. not sure about the quail egg thing. ringnecks switch (female at night, male during the day)

We will get a mate for him but our current aviary isn't big enough considering all the other birds in there, plus ring neck doves aren't that common where I am. Hopefully soon we can build a much bigger aviary.

Then there's the issue of them being almost impossible to sex and I'm worried we'll end up with two boys! He's such a sweet bird.

 

[BaJa]

above their butt are two bones. females are really far apart to let an egg pass through. male's are close together. hope this helps

 

[JaeG]

Well, our dove can have its old name back - Tilly. I went to pop some eggs under it only to find two huge white eggs, so our Tilly is in fact a girl!