ZEBRA DOVES - 16. It was only a trial nest

The three birds had been returning to the area of their nesting ever since the two nestlings fledged. At around 6.30 to 7.00 pm every evening, an adult bird would perch high up on a scaffolding pole and vocalise, whereby the two young adults would fly in to join it. All three birds would then fly to their favourite Golden Penda tree and perch on a branch, huddled close together throughout the night. Around 7 am the next morning they would fly off.

A few mornings ago, when I went to check on the birds at their perch, I had a look at the new nest. Imaging my surprise when all the nesting materials were gone. The birds must have used this site to build a trial nest. The materials must have been removed to a new nesting site.

But where? And are the birds gone forever?

ZEBRA DOVES - 15. Yes, the doves are breeding again!

This morning, I woke up late and missed seeing the three birds stirring from their roost. However, I was pleasantly surprised to hear cooing. The two young adult birds were foraging on the ground while the adult was sitting comfortably between the fork of the mempat tree. Suddenly it flew off to the old nest site in the Golden Penda tree. It was cooing repeatedly, making low gurring sounds in between.

When I returned home just after midday, I heard more cooing. The three birds were back. The two young adults were again foraging on the ground while the adult was in the old nest site. Soon, the two other birds joined it. The adult was sitting in the old nest site adjusting the sparse nesting materials of dried pieces of twigs and coiled climbing fern stems. One bird nearby was seen contributing a piece of dried plant material.

There was a cooing from nearby, probably made by the mate. Soon all three birds flew off. I took a closer look at the tree and yes, there were definite signs of a new nest.

ZEBRA DOVES - 14. Are the doves about to breed again?

It would appear that every evening a parent would fly on to a high perch and start cooing to attract the fledglings. All three birds would then fly to a tree around the nesting area and settle for the night. At first light the next morning, the birds would rouse, preen themselves and each other, then fly off.

The young birds are now 49 days old, having left the nest 35 days ago. They are still dependent on the parents for food. This protracted parental care appears to be common in many species of small birds, as reported in the 1960s by P. Ward working in Singapore on the Yellow-vented bulbul and by M.P.L. Fogden working on a number of species in Sarawak.

Of late, the adult bird, immediately after the fledglings flew off in the morning, returned to the exact nesting site or a potential nesting site in a nearby tree and started cooing repeatedly, at times duetting, and all the time making low pitch copulating noises. It is possible that the adult birds are into breeding again, more than two months after the last batch of eggs were laid? I am keeping my fingers crossed.

ZEBRA DOVES - 13. Nearly a month and still they need mummy.

The older of the fledglings is now 28 days old. The parent bird arrived this evening, perched high up on a nearby building and cooing a few times to attract the fledglings. After an initial period of greetings, the birds flew straight to a nearby tree. They spent some time moving from branch to branch foraging(?) before they settled on a nearby tree for the night. Apparently they must have come back to the same area every evening since fledgling, spending the night together before flying off early next morning. The mate must be around as there was a call from elsewhere. How long more will it take before the fledglings become independent???

ZEBRA DOVES - 12. Twenty four days old and still...

Guess what? Yesterday morning the doves made another return visit. A parent bird and two fledglings, now 24 days old. Late that morning there were repeated cooing by the parent bird (male?) who returned to the original nesting site. It remained there for some time, cooing and making "gurring" sound for some ten minutes, probably calling for its mate to inspect the nesting site. No luck. That evening all three birds returned to spent the night on a branch of a nearby tree, flying off early this morning.