Ong Ei Leen noticed that “Spotted Doves (Streptopelia chinensis) often show their affections ‘publicly’. Other than their usual copulating performances, I took a few shots of their ‘kissing’ and ‘necking’ tryst recently.”
Check out the images HERE and the video HERE where the activities are more ‘violent’.
Ong Ei Leen
Singapore
March 2012
Selina
I rescued a baby sotted ring neck dove eight months ago. I am still feeding it with a syringe as it refuses to feed itself. I tried leaving it to fend for itself for a couple of days with plenty of seed. But all it would do is angrily scoop the seed out of the dish. I have tried all types of seed to no avail.
I want to release it into the wild but not until I am sure it can feed itself.
Can anybody advise me soon as I am about to go into hospital for major surgery and nobody I know wants the responsibility of caring for the bird.
Many thanks. Selina
Lee Chiu San
This refusal to feed by themselves happens with parrots and mynahs too. Aviculturalists know that these species, which are very commonly kept as pets, often insist on being hand fed long after they would have been weaned in nature. Some bird keepers encourage this behavior, which they think is endearing.
Sorry to say, but like spoilt children, there is not much you can do except take tough action. Despite the bird wanting to scatter seed, you have to be firm. Cut down your syringe feeding to half the normal amount. And leave a good spread of seeds on the cage floor (which should be flat, without a wire grille over it) Birds tend to take seed more readily when it on the cage floor, not presented in a bowl.
The baby won’t starve to death if you continue to provide supplementary syringe feeding. But it should become hungry enough to learn to feed itself.