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Need advice for moving mourning dove nest (1 Viewer)

genamagouirk

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Mourning doves have built a nest in my garage. They've just successfully hatched their second pair of eggs, so they've been there a couple months. We've been leaving the garage door open a few inches at the bottom at night or when we're gone during the day to allow the parents to get in and out, though I don't think they're using the opening, because as soon as we fully open it in the morning, one (the dad?) flies out. And we've seen one waiting in the driveway for us to open the garage fully when we're gone during the day.

So my problem is . . . we're going on vacation for 8 days in early July. We want to fully close the garage while we're gone, so I need to move the nest. I can easily hang a basket from our covered porch, which is right next to the garage, but it would be a distance of 20-25 feet.

Is that too far for them to find? When would be the best time to move the nest to the basket? When the babies have left and the nest is empty? When the parents leave the babies alone in the nest? Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.
 
I’d just close-up dove access to the garage as soon as the present brood has fledged and wait until I was back from my travels before opening it up again. If inclined to re-nest in the interim, the doves will find some other place. There’re quite flexible in their requirements, and over the years have built nests on my property in all sort of places: shed, porch overhang, flowerpots, trees.
 
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I agree with fugl on this. Soon as the fledglings have left the nest, close the garage door.
 
Mourning doves have built a nest in my garage. They've just successfully hatched their second pair of eggs, so they've been there a couple months. We've been leaving the garage door open a few inches at the bottom at night or when we're gone during the day to allow the parents to get in and out, though I don't think they're using the opening, because as soon as we fully open it in the morning, one (the dad?) flies out. And we've seen one waiting in the driveway for us to open the garage fully when we're gone during the day.

So my problem is . . . we're going on vacation for 8 days in early July. We want to fully close the garage while we're gone, so I need to move the nest. I can easily hang a basket from our covered porch, which is right next to the garage, but it would be a distance of 20-25 feet.

Is that too far for them to find? When would be the best time to move the nest to the basket? When the babies have left and the nest is empty? When the parents leave the babies alone in the nest? Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.
I know this is an old post, but I’m in the exact same situation! Were you able to relocate the nest? Baby doves just hatched and we’re going out of town in 2 weeks..I have to lock up our garage.🥺
 
I know this is an old post, but I’m in the exact same situation! Were you able to relocate the nest? Baby doves just hatched and we’re going out of town in 2 weeks..I have to lock up our garage.🥺
Is there a small window you can open or perhaps create a small window for them to fledge and parents to continue feeding them?
 
Do you have a trusted neighbor to keep their eyes on the Garage and once the chicks have fledged lock up the garage?
 
I know this is an old post, but I’m in the exact same situation! Were you able to relocate the nest? Baby doves just hatched and we’re going out of town in 2 weeks..I have to lock up our garage.🥺

Time from hatching to fledging is 15 days (purportedly). Absolute worst case scenario if you don’t find a better solution and they haven’t fledged yet you could move the nest just before you leave, to somewhere shaded and off the ground and as close to the garage door as possible. The parents will likely adapt and continue to feed as the young will be able to be quite vocal and won’t be as fragile / vulnerable at 2 weeks age.
 
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