This Mother's Day we ask the burning question: "How do mourning dove moms feed their kids chicks?"
Our answer comes from BioKIDS:
"Both male and female mourning doves share in incubating and feeding their young. Incubation lasts 14 to 15 days. Young mourning doves are fed regurgitated food by both parents. For the first 3 to 4 days after hatching the young are fed only crop milk, an energy rich substance that is produced in the crops of both male and female parents. After that time, parents begin to add more seeds to the regurgitated food until they are fed only regurgitated seeds by the time the young leave the nest. Female mourning doves feed the young most during the first 15 days after hatching but after that males take over the responsibility for feeding the young. The young continue to stay near the nest and beg for food after they have fledged, but can survive on their own after 21 days old if there is food nearby."
And why, on this day when kids are supposed to be feeding their moms breakfast in bed, are we contemplating the constant vigilance of the mourning doves? Because it appears that our eggs have hatched! We haven't seen any little heads yet, but Mother Bird (or Father -- it's difficult to tell, but we'll assume it's Mom because it's Mother's Day), who has been sitting patiently puffed up on the nest in our unexpectedly cold and windy weather, is suddenly perched on the edge of the nest appearing very interested in whatever's inside.
Aww, Mom -- you rock!
Could it have happened on a more appropriate day?
Visit FeeFiFoto and put pictures on personalized photo blankets to keep your babies warm and cozy.
Comments