Opel Mok directed me to his images of a pair of Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis) that found his pot of mint plant a suitable place to build their nest (above).
The pair checked out his garden on 7th July 2008, built a simple nest made up of a platform of twigs and the female went on to lay a white egg two days later. A second egg was laid another two days later and on 17th July the two eggs were still in the nest (below).
From past observations on Pink-necked Green Pigeons (Treron vernans), both parents help in incubation and brooding. The male bird usually takes on the duty during the daylight hours while the female takes over the night shift. The Peaceful Dove (Geopelia striata) similarly follows this schedule but as the sexes are not differentiated externally, we simply assume that it follows the same behaviour.
In this case, the different sexes of the Spotted Dove cannot also be distinguished but we can always observe the shift change in the mornings and evenings.
Hopefully, Opel will keep us informed if he continues his observations until the chicks fledge.
Opel
YC,
For some reasons, I’m not easy with the first pic of the Dove standing on the grills.
Could you please change that?
Regards,
Opel
http://asailorsleather.blogspot.com/
BESG
Hope you are ok with this, Opel.
Opel
Thank You YC!
Sent you some pics but got bounced.
They were uploaded at my blog.
Opel
BESG
Thanks, will get them from your site.
Opel
Hi YC,
I shot them this morning!!!!!
http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Opelmok/
Enjoy!
Opel
http://asailorsleather.blogspot.com/
Bird Ecology Study Group » A simple feeder for the Spotted Dove
[…] nesting of a pair of Spotted Doves (Streptopelia chinensis) on a pot of mint plant in his porch (1, 2). Weeks after the chicks fledged, the adults returned with their fledglings to the nesting area, […]