Doves are a familiar sight, recognized for their gentle cooing and graceful flight. Their nesting process involves intricate behaviors and rapid development, offering insight into avian life.
The Dove Nesting Cycle
A typical dove nesting cycle begins with the laying of eggs, almost always two pure white eggs. The female usually lays one egg, and then the second egg a day or two later. Following egg-laying, both parents participate in incubation, a period that lasts around 14 days. The male dove typically takes the day shift, while the female incubates during the night, ensuring the eggs are rarely left unattended.
Once the eggs hatch, the newly emerged chicks, called squabs, are helpless and sparsely covered in down. Both parents feed the squabs a highly nutritious substance known as “crop milk,” produced in their digestive system. This specialized milk provides the rapid nourishment needed for their quick growth.
The squabs develop swiftly, leaving the nest when they are about 11 to 15 days old. This departure, known as fledging, occurs even before they are fully grown, though they are capable of digesting adult food at this stage. For about 5 to 9 days after fledging, the young doves remain close to their parents, who continue to feed them as they learn to forage independently.
Factors Affecting Nesting Duration
Several external variables can influence the length of a dove’s nesting period. Environmental conditions play a role, as extreme weather, such as prolonged cold or excessive heat, can slow or accelerate the incubation process. Severe winds can also destroy flimsy nests, leading to an abrupt end to a nesting attempt.
Food availability directly impacts the parents’ ability to sustain their offspring, with abundant resources supporting faster growth and potentially quicker fledging. Conversely, scarce food might prolong the period of parental care. Threats like predation or human disturbance can also disrupt the nesting cycle, sometimes leading to nest abandonment or premature fledging of the young. While the general principles of nesting remain consistent, slight variations in these durations can occur among different dove species.
Subsequent Broods and Nest Behavior
Doves are prolific breeders, often raising multiple broods within a single year. In warmer climates, a pair of doves may produce anywhere from two to six broods annually. This frequent reproduction is a strategy that helps maintain their population given their relatively short average lifespan.
The nesting season for doves can be extended, stretching from early spring through late summer or even into early fall in some regions. Even before the previous young are fully independent, parents may begin a new nesting cycle. Doves often build new nests for subsequent broods, though they may also reuse or modify existing nests, including those built by other bird species. This adaptability in nest selection allows them to quickly initiate new breeding attempts.