I hope your Dove is ok, Brad. I know that these things happen in the great "circle of life", but I always hate it when I have to see the down side of it. Unlike most people, I love bunnies and don't mind them in my yard at all. However, I also have a 100 lb German Shepherd, so you'd think they'd steer clear (neighbors on either side and back all are dogless...), but for some reason, they end up in my yard. Which is fine, because Lucy isn't that fast and has never caught one. However, some dumb-bunny put her nest right in my yard (a foot west and it would have been safely in the neighbor's yard.) Lucy found it, could smell the baby bunnies and pawed at it. I covered it (with access for mama) to keep her away from it, but she must have pawed enough to injure the babies and they died. I feel so terrible about it... I was just heartbroken to see those itty-bitty bodies. **sigh** Now I think mama has a new nest under our deck (not accessible by Lucy.) I hope to see these bunnies grow up! Denise in Omaha

Our doves did try to eat some of the rice I threw out for them as I had read that someone had said they liked rice. Yesterday I noticed that our baby doves were sitting alone but we were also aware that the Mom and Dad were close by watching over them. Late in the day a Blue Jay was after the two little ones sitting in thier nest. Both parents decended on the Blue Jay until he flew away. Neither of the parents went back to the nest; we were concerned that they wouldn't make it to the next day. To our joy we found the Mom sitting on the nest early in the morning. However later both parents were away from the baby doves. Late this afternoon I was thrilled to witness both the Mom and Dad at the nest; Mom was feeding the little ones. And later - no parents, no baby doves. They had left the nest. My previous witness of all four of them together must have been the LAST family gathering. My question is: Do the parents stay with thier young long enough to teach them full flying lessons or do they kick them out of the nest and expect them to survive on thier own?

Then THAT'S the answer!! I actually saw a sharp-shinned hawk a few weeks ago (first time I'd even seen one in our woods -- I was very pleased to be able to identify it). I didn't see this altercation until the two birds were "wrestling" in the snow and I'd have sworn it was one of the mourning doves atop the jay, but your theory makes much more sense. Whatever it was definitely carried the jaw off -- poor jay (and I don't love jays) dangling by its wing and squawking frantically. They both dropped into the snow (for a better grip?) a short ways from my garden, then took off again and only by chance (or an extreme fight by the jay or maybe, my frantic yelling??) did the jay get released. The jay flew back to our pine tree and seems fine. Is that possible? To get hauled off into the hair, hanging by one wing, and still live to tell about it? Amazing! Just curious, how large a prey will a sharp-shinned hawk take on? What about a small cat? Do I need to worry now that I know there's a sharp-shinned in the area? (My cat goes out midday, never out for long ... maybe I'll keep him in?!) Thanks so much for the information -- I am positive you are right. Now I feel guilty for blaming the doves... :(

A point about drinking. I haven't watched doves close up like I can the hummingbirds drinking from the hummzinger feeder outside my kitchen window. They do not use suction but lap up the nectar. It looks like a dog's tongue in action. Here's a link to video that will show you what I mean: High-Speed Video Shows How Hummingbirds Really Drink