A beautiful mourning dove pair at the Boston MSPCA shelter

[hopsii]

(Pls click the thumbnails to view larger image)

They are at the Boston MSPCA shelter in Massachusetts.

For more information, please email at kprestier@mspca.org or call 617-522-5055.
The hours are 12-5pm Tue thru Sat, and 12-8pm on Thur.

They also have three parakeets at the shelter now (as of Aug 16, 05). For their pictures, please go to http://www.hopsii.com, in the Rabbit Rescue page ; ) Thanks.

[TAWhatley]

Very beautiful, indeed! I do believe that that they are ringneck doves, however. It would be illegal for the shelter to have and adopt out Mourning Doves. I hope they find a wonderful home (and that all the birds and animals find homes for that matter).

Terry

[Keys & Eyegone]

They are both, indeed, beautiful.
If my eyes are playing tricks on me, but is one of them sitting on an egg???
HD

[hopsii]

The shelter had no infomation on the pair at the time, and I thought they looked very similar to mourning doves. I've corrected on Hopsii's site. I also didn't know it's illeagal to have mourning doves.

BTW, I think one of them is sitting on eggs, but I'm not 100% sure. That made me believe they are a breeding pair??

[TAWhatley]

If they are a breeding pair, then young can be expected at the 14 day mark from when they started incubating the eggs.

The wild type (color) ringnecks do look a bit like Mourning Doves though they are missing the dark spots on the wings that MoDo's have and also sport the ring around the neck which MoDo's don't have.

Though Mourning Doves are hunted as game birds in some states, they are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act in all states .. thus they are illegal to possess unless the proper permits are held.

I have a number of pet ringnecks, and they are truly lovely birds. Chipper is a very old ringneck now approaching 20 years of age.

Terry

[hopsii]

Thank you for the information, Terry. I will ask the shelter staff if indeed they are expecting a little one or not : )

[hopsii]

I visited the Boston MSPCA shelter (Massachusetts) this weekend, and they are still at the shelter. I know this is a national forum, but if you know anyone in the area interested in adopting these precious birds, please spread the words : )
Thanks.

P.S. they don't appear to be a breeding pair, btw.

[TAWhatley]

Thanks for letting us know about the doves at the shelter. I guess the good news is that they have been kept and not euthanized. I'll cross post to the doves-pigeons list.

I'm expecting 3 banded pigeons shortly from the Pasadena Humane Society here in So. Cal. Thanks to our member here, Ellen Walley, arrangements have been made for me to become an approved rescue for pigeons that end up at this shelter.

Terry

[DeadIrishD]

If I wasn't so far, I'd take them.

[Cricket]

Can Ringneck Doves reside along with pigeons??

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by Cricket

Can Ringneck Doves reside along with pigeons??

Maybe, but generally speaking .. NO .. the pigeons are so much bigger and stronger that even fairly non-aggressive interaction can hurt the doves. If a pigeon decides to peck and/or wing whack a dove, then serious harm and even death can result. Even tussling at the food/water containers can be a very uneven contest between pigeons and doves .. the doves will lose.

Terry

[hopsii]

The Boston MSPCA shelter has another Ringneck Dove now.
Very unique looking bird.



Hope this birdy finds a good home, too.

Now the shelter seems to be getting more birds lately. I hope it's not some people scared of the bird flu getting rid of them. Right now, they have a couple of flocks of Zebra Finches, a Cockatiel and the afformentioned Ringneck Dove.

[TAWhatley]

Pretty dove but it must have gotten into something that stained the feathers.

Terry

[hopsii]

Originally Posted by TAWhatley

Pretty dove but it must have gotten into something that stained the feathers.

Terry

You mean those red markings on the head and the feathers are some kind of red stain? So, would they eventually wear off? The shelter had no information on this dove.

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by hopsii

You mean those red markings on the head and the feathers are some kind of red stain? So, would they eventually wear off? The shelter had no information on this dove.

That would be my guess. I can have some of the dove experts have a look and offer their opinion, but I've never seen a dove with that red of a red color naturally. Also the "shapes" of the red markings are really "off" to be natural ones. I'll let you know what the dove genetics experts have to say.

Terry