Satellite Nesting Doves: A Unique Home for Boris & Doris

by Martyn Dickinson
(Nottingham England)

Discovering the Dove Nest on Our Satellite Dish

One day, I noticed our TV picture flickering on and off. Curious, I went upstairs and looked out of the bedroom window.

To my surprise, I saw a pair of mourning doves busily passing twigs to each other.

They were building a nest, right on the back of our satellite dish!

Over the next couple of days, the doves continued working on their delicate nest. However, I also noticed fallen twigs on the ground beneath the dish.

Then, suddenly, they were gone.

The nest seemed half-built, and I assumed they had moved elsewhere.

But just a few hours later, the TV signal flickered again. I stepped outside and looked up—our feathered friends had returned!

They were now roosting on their satellite dish nest.

Getting to Know Boris & Doris

My wife and I became fascinated by their daily activities.

Every morning, we would open the window to check on them, and surprisingly, they never seemed alarmed by our presence.

We decided to name them Boris & Doris.

With so many satellite dishes around, we felt honored that they had chosen ours as their nesting site.

Observing the Nesting Routine

As time passed, I managed to capture a better picture of our nesting doves.

Through research, (mourning dove habits) I discovered that Boris, the male, stays on the nest during the day, while Doris, the female, takes over in the evening.

We also began leaving food out, which they happily shared with other birds.

However, we were a bit worried, would their tiny nest be secure enough for baby doves when they hatched? Fingers crossed!

Satellite Nesting Doves: The Next Generation
Meet Rosie & Jim: The Baby Doves

Like all things in nature, life moves on.

Over the weeks, we watched in amazement as Boris & Doris' eggs hatched, and their tiny chicks began to grow.

As the baby doves got bigger, Boris & Doris could no longer roost on the nest with them.

Then, one day, my wife spotted the babies perching on the front of the satellite dish, getting ready for their first flight!

She decided to name them Rosie & Jim.

Taking Flight and Leaving the Nest

It was a bittersweet moment when the young doves finally took off.

We didn't see them for a while, but later, we spotted fluttering in a tree in our garden, it was Boris and Doris feeding their young!

It was a relief to know they were safe and thriving.

Now, we eagerly wait, hoping that Boris & Doris will return to nest on our satellite dish again.

Watching them raise their young has been a truly special experience.

Why Do Mourning Doves Nest on Satellite Dishes?

We decided to do some more research to find out more about why they choose this particular nest site. Here's what we found.

Mourning doves often choose unusual nesting locations, including satellite dishes, air conditioning units, and window ledges. These locations provide:

• Elevated protection from ground predators
• Stable surfaces to build their fragile nests
• Easy access to food sources nearby

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If you notice doves nesting on your satellite dish, my unsolicited advice is to consider leaving them undisturbed.

They usually raise their young in less than 4 weeks before moving on. We found watching them to be a beautiful and rewarding experience!

Final Thoughts on Our Satellite Doves

From Boris & Doris' nesting journey to the first flight of Rosie & Jim, this experience has been a delightful insight into the lives of mourning doves.

We hope to welcome them back again in the future and witness another satellite dish nesting adventure!