*Update* Finally Caught the White Dove

Enchanted Sunrise Farms

Crowing
12 Years
Apr 26, 2007
4,255
64
274
Fair Oaks, California
For the past two days i have seen two white doves in our backyard pecking around. We have chickens, ducks, and geese, so i assume they think it's a cool place, plus there is errant seed on the ground. i read that they are rare in the wild, so these may be doves that have escaped, or were part of a wedding release. They seem relatively comfortable around me, yet fly away (not far) when i get near. i would like to catch them in the hopes of keeping them safe, They seem young to me, small, but i really don't know anything about doves. i'm just very worried about their safety.

Any suggestions for trapping them and for setting up a reasonable dove enclosure for them? We have the space and i would like to give them a safe home.
 
We have the space and i have the inclination to make a decent habitat for them. You just never know, when you turn birds over to a wildlife sanctuary, if they will be properly cared for. These are the sweetest little things. i want them to have a good long life. So yes, i was thinking of keeping them.

Edited to say, that i will ask questions and learn what i need to do to care for them. Any input on that is heartedly welcomed.
 
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You could set up a dog crate with seed.in it near the birds,with a string on the door?I definitely don't think their wild.people just release.the poor birds at weddings?
yep, we raise doves and people call constantly wanting white doves for weddings. we dont sell them for that.
and tell people its a death sentence for the birds. some dont really care

to answer your question about catching them... if they are tame to humans meaning they associate you with food
put out food and they will almost always roost for the night nearby and they wont roost in the same spot either
we once had a dove escape and wanted so badly to return but was freaked out and wouldnt let us get near enough.
took 3 days but eventually she roosted low enough to the ground we spotlighted her and my wife climbed a ladder and got her.
problem with a pair is they will roost together and you will almost have to catch them both at the same time. or one will fly off.
doves are smarter and faster than you think
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Thank you so much for your reply, Bigrob83. i haven't been successful as yet in catching them. There are two white ones that sometimes come together. Then the other day there was one white and a ringneck. i read that the whites are a color variation on the ringneck. So i'm wondering now if they are a wild family and not escaped from somewhere. The ringneck looks larger and more mature, whereas the whites look a bit small and clumsy. i've never seen doves in this area since we moved here 5 years ago. We sometimes get mourning doves, but not lately.

Not sure now if i should try to catch them. The second white hasn't been around the past couple of days. i hope she is sitting on a nest and wasn't killed by our neighbor's cats.
 
they are escaped pets, pet store birds, released pets, or escaped maybe from macig or bird show (you wouldnt believe how many ringnecks dollywood lost just in the maybe year ive lived here). they have no way to find way home almost, though used to free fly the ones i had and theyd be gone for maybe week and then come home to nest ect, but then they may have followed free flown pigeons, and free flown parrots ect, or heard them and followed sounds. either way they are far game to keep if not banded as theyre just pretty easy hawk, cat and everything else food, so keeping especially the white ones wouldnt be bad for anone and yo could always release babies to try free flying them, as babies free flown early develope better skillsand ability to fly to some degree. good luck and have fun. pics pleas?
 
almost sounds like you have a juvenile white dove.... easiest way to tell is the beak will be broader even on a fully feathered flighted bird. but will change within a week or two
genetics with doves are pretty mixed one of the wild pair could have some not so wild dove genetics.
ours will throw all sorts of colors. even some wild gray colors on rare occasion
we even had a white pair that would only throw gray colors
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I hate to say it but you already know it, white isnt normal in the wild and they dont last long
its possible your seeing a mom or dad with teenager. but doves can change partners at random and even live in a group of three, pretty rare but it happens

if you have a short tree. try moving your feed under it. may help with your chances of it roosting for the night low enough to catch
 
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If they were ringneck doves for sure, unfortunately they are probably in the stomach of a hawk or other predator. They do not last long in the wild at all. If they were actually white homing pigeons, they may have went home after a rest at your place.
 

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