Highlights of Mourning Doves from Eggs to Fledgling Chicks

Highlights (from many hours of video) of a pair of mourning doves as they raise their chicks and send them off. See the parents raise a brood of chicks (squabs) and encourage them to leave the nest.

During the first 14 days, both parents take turns sitting on the two eggs, with almost constant occupation of the nest. And then during the next 14 days, both parents will feed the squabs by bringing up a milk-like substance produced by glands in their throat. The squabs will feed by reaching up into the parents mouth. After a few days, the "milk" will be augmented with seeds. After one week the squabs fill the nest and soon the parents don't fit anymore in the nest. The squabs will start stretching their wings and preening more as they get ready for life on their own.

Enjoy the video!

1:30 First egg hatches
2:20 First feeding of the squab
2:40 Second egg hatches
3:10 Day 3 continues with more feeding
4:50 Squabs have grown a lot
5:50 Parents start to announce feeding times
7:10 Cooing becomes more prominent with squabs
9:30 Squabs are encouraged to get out of the nest
10:10 Parents start to call the squabs from outside the nest
10:55 First squab leaves the nest
11:25 Second squab leaves the nest but is called back to the nest
12:00 Parents leave the nest and call to the remaining squab
12:40 Life outside of the nest