A few weeks ago, in the late afternoon after very heavy rains and high winds, we found a bedraggled little dove in the garden. It had found a safe enough place to shelter in our back garden, which is enclosed and safe from our dogs and cats.
The little dove, a fledgling, seemed so cold and wet that we thought we should catch it and shelter it indoors overnight, However, it could fly just well enough – a few metres at a time – to escape being caught and so we had to leave it, hoping it would shelter in nearby shrubs and survive the night.
The next morning, we saw it in the garden, still on the ground and looking tired and bedraggled. It moved to perch on a fallen log in a patch of gentle sunlight. Gradually, as it started warming up, it looked slightly perkier and even started preening its damp rather straggly feathers.
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2-red-eyed_dove_fledgling.jpg?w=945)
We were watching it unobtrusively through a window. Our view of it was slightly obscured by the mesh of the fence of the cats’ catio outside the window. Reassured that it was getting stronger, I got my camera and managed to take some photos despite the impediment of the intervening window pane and fencing. (These impediments explain the vignette effect applied to these photos.)
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/3-red-eyed_dove_fledgling.jpg?w=945)
The fledgling dove, looking perkier, taking a pause during preening its feathers
Looking up into a tree behind, we noticed another fledgling dove the same age perched quite high up in the tree. It seemed to be the stronger of the two and was preening more energetically.
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/4-red-eyed_dove_fledgling.jpg?w=945)
The second little dove up in the tree, pausing while preening to glance in our direction through the wooden railings of part of the catio
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/5-red-eyed_dove_fledgling.jpg?w=945)
The sun rose higher and as the dove got warmer it even started practicing stretching its wings
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/6-red-eyed_dove_fledgling.jpg?w=896)
The dove on the ground was looking increasingly stronger
We wondered where the parents of the fledglings were and how they had got separated from the youngsters during the storm. It is likely the fledglings had already left their nest before the bad weather hit. Normally after leaving the nest, juvenile doves are still looked after by their parents as the youngsters learn to forage independently and become stronger at flying.
Due to their relatively large size for a dove, we guessed that these birds were red-eyed doves (Streptopelia semitorquata). Typically, red-eyed doves leave the nest about two-and-a-half weeks after hatching. As in these two young birds, the feathers are still soft and fluffy while their adult plumage develops.
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/7-red-eyed_dove_fledgling.jpg?w=945)
As it grew in strength and confidence the fledgling on the ground walked up and down on the log a few times, as if stretching its legs
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/8-red-eyed_dove_fledgling.jpg?w=945)
After a while, like its sibling, it too started experimenting with stretching and flapping its wings – limbering up as the temperature rose
Thinking the birds needed food, I phoned someone who is experienced in wild bird rehabilitation for advice. She said just make ordinary bird seed and drinking water available. When the little birds get hungry enough, they will eat, she reassured me. She also said that the parents would be around and likely would support them. She said the best thing to do if possible is to support fledglings from afar, and definitely not capture them and remove them from their environment as many people, though with the best of intentions, are too inclined to do.
So, creeping slowly outside, my husband went outside and sprinkled birds seed over a fairly wide area on the ground nearby to the doves. We added some raw rolled oats to the mix, in case they needed something softer.
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/9-red-eyed_dove_fledglings.jpg?w=936)
In the meantime, the dove in the tree flew down to join its sibling on the log on the ground
Of course, a few other birds spotted the seeds and started joining the youngsters in the garden. Mainly they were the smaller laughing doves who were joined by a pair of house sparrows. I did not attempt to take any photos of them as I did not want to risk frightening the babies.
Eventually, an adult red-eyed dove arrived. The babies were very excited and approached the adult, with one of them apparently asking to be fed. To our disappointment, the adult appeared to ignore it. Either it was practicing tough love, or it was not one of the parents. However, now and again it did chase off a random laughing dove though in a rather half-hearted fashion.
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/10-red-eyed_dove_adult.jpg?w=945)
An adult red-eyed dove. Their diet consists largely of a variety of seeds and they also forage on the ground under trees looking for fallen small fruits/berries
Although in the vicinity of the seed we had provided, the babies started picking up bits and pieces off the ground finding something of interest, but they were not attracted to the food we had put out.
In the late afternoon, the weaker of the two climbed up onto a branch in a shrub and seemed to be preparing to spend the night there. The stronger one flew up into a tree. We wondered if we would see them in the morning.
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11-fledgling-red_eyed_doves.jpg?w=945)
The next morning there they were, and in time they found a patch of sun to warm up in
We were delighted to see that the babies had survived the night. Both were looking stronger and seemed to enjoy resting and preening in the warmth of the sun. They spent a long time in this patch of sun.
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/12-fledgling-red_eyed_doves.jpg?w=945)
In addition to preening, they seemed to take turns stretching and warming up their wing muscles
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/13-fledgling-red_eyed_doves.jpg?w=945)
Some of the wing stretching got pretty energetic
During the course of the day, we saw that both of the juveniles were able to fly up into the nearby tree, where they perched and did a bit more preening. They were also able to fly down and join the other birds eating the seeds on the ground.
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/14-fledgling-red_eyed_doves.jpg?w=945)
It was endearing to see how the pair kept each other company
In the late afternoon both birds flew up into the nearby tree. When we checked later, they were gone.
We did not see them again, but we felt that at least they had had sufficient time in a safe place to make a recovery from the storm and build up some strength before moving on.
Posted by Carol
![](https://naturebackin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/xlily-round-crop-blue-small.jpg?w=100)
June 23, 2024 at 11:26 pm
I’m so glad this dove tale had a happy ending, Carol. Thank you for caring for the fledglings and and for reporting on their progress. Let’s hope they are alive and well.
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June 5, 2024 at 7:43 pm
What a heartwarming account of your baby doves, Carol. Wonderful photos and story. Thank you!
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June 7, 2024 at 6:48 pm
Thanks very much Jane. It was very engrossing watching them gain in strength and I hope they managed to survive after they left us.
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June 4, 2024 at 1:55 pm
I found this story suspenseful, Carol, and was delighted for the happy ending. I looked up the red-eyed dove and read that they typically have two eggs in the nest, a stick nest. So you and your husband saved the brood with your patience and protection and food. The photos are great, showing their wee fledgling states and vulnerability. And your words were wonderful. Lovely post, thank you.
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June 7, 2024 at 6:47 pm
Hi Jet, indeed they are vulnerable. Last year there was a nest outside our loft window. It was amazing to watch the dove parents feed the pair of babies in the nest – until one morning I opened the curtains, and the nest and babies had gone. Distressingly we found the empty nest upside down on the ground and no sign of the babies. We suspect an African harrier hawk had taken them (when the babies were about 10 days old). So watching this pair survive after the storm was even more special.
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June 4, 2024 at 11:46 am
I was fascinated reading about this pair of fledglings being so able in surviving after the storm – a heartwarming tale!
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June 7, 2024 at 6:42 pm
Thanks Christine – their progress was remarkable and engrossing to watch,
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May 31, 2024 at 11:56 am
Hopefully the siblings are thriving now having had the protection of your garden at a crucial
time. It’s such a privilege being able to watch at such close quarters. (If somewhat tense on this occasion!)
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May 31, 2024 at 7:31 pm
You are right, it was a bit stressful at times, but ultimately heartwarming even though, of course, we don’t know how they fared once they moved on.
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May 31, 2024 at 12:25 am
They sure look like drowned rats in the first photos! Must have been quite the storm. Nice that you were able to monitor their progress and have a happy ending.
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May 31, 2024 at 7:30 pm
They were very bedraggled. We had over 65 cm (25 inches) of rain in 2.5 days paired with high winds. Mercifully less rain than was forecast, though other regions had winds and fire ahead of the rain, and others subsequently had flooding.
It was heartwarming to watch the youngsters recover, and after that we could only wish them well!
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June 1, 2024 at 4:22 am
That’s a lot of rain! Wild weather is becoming more common everywhere it seems.
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June 7, 2024 at 6:38 pm
Yes it is becoming more common. We have just had another cutoff low with flooding across many parts of the country, sadly.
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June 8, 2024 at 2:34 am
Seems like your weather has been bad for a while now.
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May 30, 2024 at 6:25 pm
Well done for providing appropriate support for this pair. A bit tough to have to be largely self-sufficient after a mere two and a half weeks! Let’s hope they made it: a fascinating tale.
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May 31, 2024 at 7:26 pm
Yes, it is incredible they can become self-sufficient so soon. From the parent’s point of view, they have been brooding the eggs for about 16 days before the over two weeks period tending the nestlings. Can only hope these youngsters made it. They certainly showed a lot of spunk.
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May 30, 2024 at 5:43 pm
Endearing brood mates, I’m glad your yard provided a safe haven. Bon chance to them!
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May 31, 2024 at 7:22 pm
Yes they were most endearing. They need all the luck they can get!
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May 30, 2024 at 4:05 pm
A wonderful photographic account of the sibling survivors of a storm. You are absolutely right about practicing ‘tough love’ and assisting them from afar. Your photographs are a great record of their recovery.
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May 31, 2024 at 7:21 pm
It is amazing how plucky they are even at that young age. It was great to observe their recovery.
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