The first living memory of a bird was start in the nest. Weather they live in the wildlife or being captivated, everything is start from the nest. So, it is important for you as an owner of birds, truly think about the necessities of your pet animals. The more astonished fact of birds is that every single bird species has their own nesting habit, such as eagle’s nesting habit. So, it is part of your duty to research the specification of your bird of the nesting material for dove: make them feel at home.
Birds and their nesting making process contained differences on the speed, step, and material – occur in every species of birds. However, this case is exhibit in the wildlife environmental which they need to survive with their own strength. Very different if the doves is captivated and raise as pet animal. Ordinarily, when people keep doves on their watch they prone to build lovely houses for doves. But house is not enough my friends; you should provide the nest which is in human term is a bed.
Everyone need a bed, included animals! The place to lay your head down from all the activities, tiresome, and thoughts. Well, I didn’t know dove’s problematic, but I am sure every single living thing have problem. So, yes, doves must provide with the comfortable and cozy nest to make them feel that they are welcome by you – the owner. Moreover, after you build the house for them, you could put nests inside the house.
But, if you have no any idea what kind of material needed to make a perfect nest for your beloved doves, you came to the right place my friends! Today, specifically, we would discuss about nesting material for doves: make them feel at home. Prepare everything and make your doves live their lives as full as possible – with the happiness for a long period of time!
The Nest of Doves
Even most of the birds are professional builder of nest, but apparently some of them – compare to another species – is not a really good for this stuff, included doves. Maybe, for us human, every bird nest’s appearance is no more than circular a bunch of stick. But, what can you do? It is what it is; for birds their nest is the best looking places on earth! Don’t judge them guys. This “unprofessionalism” make us who look after them a little bit “annoyed” and intended to fix it.
Frequently, dove’s nest exhibit instability and incapability to hold its structure together, which is the true is yes; it often tumble down. The sticks strung together without the perfect estimate of density and caused it to fall out, the worst its engage the babies or the eggs fall together with the whole debacle. While in the wild nature, doves commonly build up their nest up high at the fork of branches of trees.
Furthermore, it’s not always the case. Doves, sometime do build the nest lowest and near the ground to lessen the impact of the fall which many times are caused by the chased of fledglings from the nest. This “chasing” was happened during the two first week ages before the birds could fly properly. The lowest nest also build on purpose to make room for the next brood. The unstable nest also come with big price; a lot of time, the breeze of wind easily obliterate the young birds and eggs, not to mention the rain storm.
This event was a doomed for the mortality rate of doves. In the wildlife, the mortality of adult doves was estimated about 58% per year, followed by the juveniles around 69% each year. This research was based by the observation of Wildlife management institute and US Fish and Game. The most tragic is that the fact of the life span of the doves in the wildlife would only about one a half year for adults and one year for the immature; meanwhile during the watched of captivation, doves life span could reach around 20 years.
Nest Materials
Now, we would learn about all the materials needed to make a perfect and cozy nest for our doves. Prepare the twigs as many as possible (you could adjust with the size of the nest you’ve planed); if you can, please try to use the twigs with the same size that used by the doves in the nature when build the nest. The size of the twigs approximately around 4 to 5 inches long, and with the thickness less than the refill of ball point pen.
For your note, doves doesn’t really like a thick stick and prefer to use the thin one. It might because the doves don’t have a strong bill to break the stick, so in nature they could not arrange the sticks which are too hard to manage. It is wisely to follow the taste of doves to increase the rate of comfortable feeling upon the nest. You could found the twigs around the bushes or cut it straight from trees.
The next move is place the twigs inside the cage or house; put it at the bottom of the house, but please remember this: do not put the twigs directly below the nest. The doves have a ritual habit of mating which is the sticks that are place bellow the nest was a sign that the female is rejected the male. So, just put the twigs toward the front of the house and avoid the dove’s defecate area. In case the dove’s house has a grate in the bottom of it, up in the slot of the grate put the twigs perpendicular to prevent the twigs fall off.
Provide the softer layer for the doves. Some people would use the straws which is usually being place in the rabbit section of the store; put the straw on the bottom of the house and let the doves manage it by themselves. Another option for the softer layer is the cotton ropes which is commonly used as dog tug ropes, cotton balls, or you just simply purchase the string types of nest provided by the pet stores.
Remember this, the soft layer is important to keep the eggs from chipping or breaking; in the hatchling period, the softer layer is a must. The soft layer would rapidly dirty, so you must diligently change with the new one. Furthermore, if you live among the pines wood area, placing pine needles as a soft layer would be a great idea!