Mourning Dove child

• The past few days we have a female mourning dove perch on our fence check us out. We could not figure out why until this morning when two gifts were left on our patio.

One being her little baby. From what we think she may have designated us as sitters to watch over little one until he/she is stable enough to fly off on its own. She is never far from little one. I think she remains perched up on the roof here keeping an eye on the surroundings. 

And as payment we think for watching over little one she gave us a feather. 

• Size & Shape

  Plump-bodied and long-tailed, with short legs, small bill, and a head that looks particularly small in comparison to the body. The long, pointed tail is unique among North American doves.

• Color Pattern

  Mourning Doves often match their open-country surroundings. They’re delicate brown to buffy-tan overall, with black spots on the wings and black-bordered white tips to the tail feathers.

• Behavior

  Mourning Doves fly fast on powerful wingbeats, sometimes making sudden ascents, descents, and dodges, their pointed tails stretching behind them.

• Habitat

  You can see Mourning Doves nearly anywhere except the deep woods. Look for them in fields or patches of bare ground, or on overhead perches like telephone wires.
• http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/mourning_dove/lifehistory