Doves Attack Roadrunner

by Cindy
(CA)

Yesterday morning.. I witnessed two Doves, frantically attacking a Roadrunner that appeared on my porch.

I Knew these doves had a nest high up in my pine tree somewhere, but too high for me to see. The Roadrunner visits us regularly, he and HIS mate.

The Doves hadn't responded in this way before, so I knew something was very wrong.

The Roadrunner is a predator to baby doves. But he wanted no part of the harassment from the parenting pair.

I watched one of the doves fly over to a corner on the patio, below the block wall.

There on the ground she tried to warm her fledgling that had been blown out of it's nest. We were having unusually high winds. Gusts up to 65 mph.

I knew immediately I had to intervene. The baby was stuck in the corner, and the Roadrunner was nearby. I had to act fast.

I walked up to the mother Dove.. who wouldn't budge, protecting that little thing for all she was worth, and believe it or not.. took the baby out from under her.

She or he, perched itself on the wall's edge, watching me.

I made a nest for it out of the pine needles and pine buds from the ground and put it in a planter bucket, and placed the bucket on a plant rack, up high, near where the incident took place. Under the pine tree it fell out of.

I left it alone there.. and watched.. praying the mother and father wouldn't abandon it due to my handling it.

I watched it from my window, it jumped up and stood on the edge of the bucket. Calling out to its parents.

I watched both parents take off and fly ever so far away.. and thought.. oh... no.

About an hour or so later, I heard the cooing of the Doves!! They'd come back!!!

One of them got into the box with its fledgling, for a few minutes.. then flew off onto the ground.. and called to its baby. Who flew to them!! Just learning how to fly.

Whoooopeeeee! All three walked to a low-lying bush near a rock with a cave-like crevice in it.

A more natural setting for them.

One of them perched up high to be on the lookout, the other under the bush and rock, and the baby crawled happily under its belly!!

They are still in the yard today.. but have moved to a different place.

Prayerfully this one's second chance will have made a difference. With parents like these.. of course, it has!!

The Roadrunners appear to be steering clear from the area of the Doves.

I wish I could submit the entire scene! I have pictures of all of this happening!