Doves are a common sight, recognized by their gentle cooing and graceful flight. These birds adapt well to various habitats, including urban and suburban areas. Observing doves, especially their young, sparks curiosity about their early development. Understanding the stages of a baby dove’s life, from hatching to leaving the nest, offers insight into the natural world.
Typical Nesting Period
Baby doves, particularly Mourning Doves, typically remain in their nests for a short period after hatching. They fledge, or leave the nest, usually within 12 to 15 days. This quick nesting period means their growth is rapid. Environmental factors like weather and food availability can slightly influence this duration.
Parents share incubation responsibilities, which also lasts about 14 days before the eggs hatch. Nests are often simple structures made of twigs, pine needles, and grass, sometimes appearing flimsy. Doves can raise multiple broods in a year, with up to six clutches in warmer climates.
Development and Care in the Nest
Newly hatched doves, called squabs, are altricial, meaning they are born helpless, with closed eyes and sparse downy feathers. Their skin can appear dark, and they are initially unable to regulate their own body temperature, relying on parents for warmth. Within a few days, their eyes open, and their skin may start to darken.
Both parents feed their young a unique substance called “crop milk,” produced in their crops. This highly nutritious, protein- and fat-rich liquid is secreted by the lining of the parents’ crops and is important for the squabs’ rapid growth during their first week. After about a week, parents gradually introduce seeds into the diet, transitioning the young from crop milk to solid food. By two weeks old, the young doves have grown significantly, developing fluffy feathers and resembling adult birds.
The Fledgling Stage and What to Do
When baby doves fledge, they are usually about two weeks old, mostly feathered, but their tail feathers may still be short. They can hop around and take short, clumsy flights, often landing on the ground or in nearby vegetation. This stage is a normal part of their development, and seeing a fledgling dove out of the nest does not mean it has been abandoned. Parents are usually nearby, continuing to feed and care for their young as they learn to fly and forage independently.
If a dove appears to be a true nestling—naked or with very few feathers, unable to move much—and is out of the nest, it may need assistance. If the nest can be located and safely reached, the nestling can be gently placed back in it. The common belief that parents will reject a baby bird touched by humans is a myth.
However, if the bird is mostly feathered, alert, and can hop or flap its wings, it is likely a fledgling. For fledglings, the best course of action is to observe from a distance and keep pets away, allowing the parents to continue their care. Intervention is necessary only if the bird is visibly injured, in immediate danger from predators or traffic, or if parents are confirmed to be absent after an extended observation period. In these situations, contacting a local wildlife rehabilitator for advice is recommended.