Expert: Julia Booth - 12/13/2008

Question
Hello,
I had recently asked you about a mourning dove that lives in the eaves of my front deck. I live in Massachusetts and we recently had an ice storm. I am starting to get worried about this little bird. Would it mind if i wrapped a fuzzy scarf around the screw it is roosting on? If I put out a birdhouse next to it's little spot would it use it? I also tried to leave some bread on my deck railing but it didn't take it. How can I be sure this dove is fed and warm. I feel so bad for it all alone out in the cold tucking its head in. I just want to help it.. Any suggestions?

Answer
Mourning doves are year round residents of Massachusetts, so they are accustomed to the temperature. Birds have methods of keeping themselves warm that humans do not have.

Feathers provide insulation. Birds can fluff their feathers, causing warm air to be trapped between them, which provides them with protection from the cold. This is more powerful than you would think. But it works for them.

They can also shiver, and the activity creates body heat.

They can also huddle together with other birds, to share body heat. Obviously that isn't happening in this case. You could try putting a bird house or perhaps the scarf. I honestly can't say whether or not the dove would make use of them.

Doves are picky about their nesting sites. I've known people who kept doves as pets and had a hell of a time getting them to breed. The nesting material they provided just wasn't satisfactory for whatever reason. Doves are also not very smart, meaning that their instinct of self-preservation is limited.

Doves usually won't bother with bread, once it's become hard, or if the pieces are too large. They prefer smaller seed mixtures. Don't buy the cheaper, generic mixes. They are loaded with surplus that most birds won't bother eating and will end up tossing to the ground. It's worth it to pay a little extra for the sun or safflower seeds that won't be wasted.

A suet feeder is helpful during the winter, as birds use suet to help maintain their body fat. Food is harder to come by in the winter. So the goal is to have enough body fat to live off of during that time. The body fat is also what helps keep them warm.

Let me know if you have any further questions,

Julia