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ZEBRA DOVES – 5. The chicks are about to fledge

on 7th August 2005

So far so good! The nest and the birds have not been molested. The chicks are now 10 days old and will be fledging soon. There are three of them and the oldest has started exercising its wings. The parent birds regularly feed and preen the chicks.

The nest looks a bit crowded and the chicks have been left to themselves for longer periods. The parent birds fly in separately at irregularly intervals to feed them.

If the day shift bird is indeed a male, as in the case of Pink-necked Pigeons, then it would seem that the male is spending less time looking after the chicks than the female. The female bird, the one taking on the night shift and spending all her time in the nest throughout the night, now leaves a few hours earlier. Sounds familiar?

YC Wee
Singapore
7th August 2005

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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