That was funny watching that territorial action. They should be known as hoard (sic) of doves instead of a dole of doves.

Thanks.

tj

I enjoyed that segment around minute 6 where one dove faced outward as if to leave, and then apparently decided it wanted to continue feeding.

Unfortunately, the two curved posts prevented the dove from turning (I guess doves don't like to back up) and the bird had to perform a quick flight turn to get back on the feeder.

What are they eating? I didn't see any spitting out of shells as if they were cracking seeds.

Claire

Black oil Sunflower seeds. The were just swallowing the whole seed. That surprised me too. Maybe they eat grit to help break up the seed or have a strong digestive system.

What they do is store the seed in their crop/craw for eating later.

tj

I wondered the same thing about the seed. Seems like it might be sorta hard to digest.

According to this reference from the Washington Post:

Mourning doves: Gluttons of the bird feeder

"Mourning doves eat seeds: grass seeds, weed seeds, flower seeds, pine nuts and their favorite, corn and other grains, which they will eagerly stuff into their crop.

The crop is a digestive storage organ that slowly releases food into the gizzard, where seeds are ground into an easily digestible mash. To aid the grinding, the birds consume small stones — and even tiny glass fragments — that collect in the gizzard."

I've always envied birds their wings; now I also envy them their gizzards.

Claire