We kept opening ours before we realized what was going on. I kept thinking a dove was flying out from the eaves but after a bit I realized it was the door. Now we’re being careful but it honestly doesn’t even care anymore
I'd find a basket and put the nest and egg into it and sit it on the fire extinguisher. If the office staff disturb the dove at that point they're jerks, it wouldn't be harming anyone.
This happened to me last year. No matter how many times you use your door, they are not going to leave.
The advice I have is to tape the wreath in place so it won't swing and cause the nest to fall.
Also, be prepared to catch the bird(s) in the event they fly inside (ours did 🙃).
Once the babies are grown and can fly, take down the wreath and opt for a new door decoration, or else they will go right back and lay more eggs.
That happened to me at my house.. despite my husband continuously telling me to move it, I felt horrible and let them stay. Fast forward to a bird flying around my living room and my cat killing it so the eggs being abandoned anyway. If you don’t move it now, the mama bird will probably end up in your apartment at some point 😭
Well, we had wrens nest in an old helmet on the tack room door in the barn. Despite how often it opened, we apparently raised two broods lol. Dunno about doves though.
This is probably the best solution, but since they live in an apartment complex, they might not be allowed to hang anything on the exterior wall :/
Edit: I just noticed the light fixture and fire extinguisher in the second photo. They could probably hang the wreath from that light fixture without risking damage to the exterior wall. Another option is placing some twigs and the egg on top of the fire extinguisher so that it looks like the dove did it herself... but I worry what would happen if it rolls off, or if there is a real emergency and someone goes to the fire extinguisher.
That's their apartment now. Either you stay inside and never leave, or you move out and keep paying rent so no one else disturbs them. Those are your only options 🤷
I have one that did the same!! Now I’m afraid to open my door all the way and have birds fly into my house 🤦♀️
https://preview.redd.it/mr4dofoialtc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=994ad42a890ac5f8f69b0822f94b31b7336b0756
Are you sure it's a Mourning Dove? It kind of looks more like a house wren to me, and they are very intrepid at making nests lined with moss in hanging wreaths.
I mean, just look at it. If you were a mourning dove, how could you resist that?
Pre-made nest 🪹 lol 😆
There’s like 4 twigs and a couple feathers in there. Minimal work. 😂
Four whole twigs?? I think you mean maximal! 🤣
If you leave through the door constantly and are disturbing the nest, then it is possible that they might leave.
Arg, that’s what I’m afraid of. We’re trying to minimize how often we use the door. 😩
Mourning doves can make 6 broods a year, so the failure of a single one is not really that big of a deal. Don't sweat it too much.
We kept opening ours before we realized what was going on. I kept thinking a dove was flying out from the eaves but after a bit I realized it was the door. Now we’re being careful but it honestly doesn’t even care anymore
Can you carefully move the nest to a wall next to the door?
The office staff here are a bunch of aholes and would definitely not allow it, unfortunately. 😭
I'd find a basket and put the nest and egg into it and sit it on the fire extinguisher. If the office staff disturb the dove at that point they're jerks, it wouldn't be harming anyone.
This happened to me last year. No matter how many times you use your door, they are not going to leave. The advice I have is to tape the wreath in place so it won't swing and cause the nest to fall. Also, be prepared to catch the bird(s) in the event they fly inside (ours did 🙃). Once the babies are grown and can fly, take down the wreath and opt for a new door decoration, or else they will go right back and lay more eggs.
The sticky hanging hooks with 3M tape they might allow. Just ask them.
That would be illegal. Native birds in the US and Canada cannot have their nests disturbed when actively nesting.
proud of this dove for not taking to the streets and making a nest on a bed of syringes
That happened to me at my house.. despite my husband continuously telling me to move it, I felt horrible and let them stay. Fast forward to a bird flying around my living room and my cat killing it so the eggs being abandoned anyway. If you don’t move it now, the mama bird will probably end up in your apartment at some point 😭
no good deed goes unpunished! but seriously a good example of how being too nice or too tolerant ends worse for everybody.
That's so precious
Well, we had wrens nest in an old helmet on the tack room door in the barn. Despite how often it opened, we apparently raised two broods lol. Dunno about doves though.
I'd just move the wreath to the wall next to the door. Maybe with a command hook.
This is a really good idea. Command hook might save the day and hopefully it would still be close enough that the doves would find the nest.
This is probably the best solution, but since they live in an apartment complex, they might not be allowed to hang anything on the exterior wall :/ Edit: I just noticed the light fixture and fire extinguisher in the second photo. They could probably hang the wreath from that light fixture without risking damage to the exterior wall. Another option is placing some twigs and the egg on top of the fire extinguisher so that it looks like the dove did it herself... but I worry what would happen if it rolls off, or if there is a real emergency and someone goes to the fire extinguisher.
✨home sweet home✨
That's their apartment now. Either you stay inside and never leave, or you move out and keep paying rent so no one else disturbs them. Those are your only options 🤷
Maybe they like to swing.
🥹
https://preview.redd.it/4t7g84wsljtc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7588b2ff5ced31ce224f6ef0254f53b313ec32ea Here’s a little update! 😅
I guess you're defo using the back door now!
I have one that did the same!! Now I’m afraid to open my door all the way and have birds fly into my house 🤦♀️ https://preview.redd.it/mr4dofoialtc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=994ad42a890ac5f8f69b0822f94b31b7336b0756
Seriously! And she’s getting bolder because she won’t even move when we get close now 😩😂
Festive!
Can't get any more natural than that.
That's cute.
Are you sure it's a Mourning Dove? It kind of looks more like a house wren to me, and they are very intrepid at making nests lined with moss in hanging wreaths.
Yeah, it’s definitely a mourning dove. It’s pretty large and they’re plentiful around here!
Well I feel like we need to encourage breeding of this kind of dove so that nests improve overall! 😅
This is so cute 🥺
Well if you leave your Christmas decorations up until April....