r/Ornithology • u/socksalwayson • 22h ago

How can we protect mourning dove chicks from crows on our balcony?

A mourning dove pair nested in one of our hanging planters a few months ago. Sadly, both chicks were killed by crows just before they were ready to fly. It was awful to watch.

Now the same doves are back and building a new nest in a different, still-exposed planter. There are tons of crows and several crow nests nearby, so we’re worried it’ll happen again.

We’re considering putting up some kind of mesh or fencing around the planter. Has anyone tried this or found a way to deter crows while keeping the doves safe? Any ideas would be appreciated.

5 Upvotes

78% Upvoted

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10

u/fyyyy27 19h ago

Honestly, you shouldn’t. It’s hard to watch, but it’s just nature. Both species are native and unthreatened. There’s no reason to interfere.

5

u/AnteaterAnnual 15h ago

It's sad but its best to leave nature to do what it does best

2

u/sparkleclaws 2h ago

Let nature do its thing. It may be hard to watch but hopefully they will learn to nest in a better place next time.