Hello- When I mentioned that doves were small (on line with a cockatiel), Vinny ever so gently pointed out to me that a cockatiel that weighed 135 grams would be considered quite obese (since 80-90 grams is their normal range). Ooops. I actually had no idea what cockatiels weigh and was actually thinking more of their body dimensions so don't know why I even threw grams in there. In any case, doves do weight in the 135 g range (similar to a Senegal parrot I'm told) but do NOT take your cockatiels' weight guidelines from me! Thank you, Vinny! e On Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 8:59 AM, Elizabeth Young wrote:

Hello!

I'd love to know the astronomical alignment that has produced all the many doves MickaCoo has been taking in recently! I was told there was a king pij at a shelter and I had an open foster spot for a pij (!!!) but it was a DOVE. Cheryl went out to rescue a king pigeon being menaced by a cat in Pacific and it was a DOVE. We've got doves stacking up like planes over La Guardia!

So we need dove fosters and adopters please!

Doves are easy- they're small (about cockatiel size- 135ish grams) and are softbills so can be kept in galvinized wire cages or simple, inexpensive outdoor aviaries. Their noise is a coo and courting males can be loud and persistent but even so their noise is low and much less sharp or far-reaching than, for example, my green cheek conure Tookie who's hollering at me from the other room as I type this. Doves are easy to tame and very dear, as any one who's had one can tell you.

Also- thanks to Camille and Katie and Tina G, MickaCoo has a WONDERFUL outdoor cage to loan that could safely and happily contain up to about 12 doves!

So please- think about fostering a pair of doves (or more) and tell others about them as well. People won't look at you near as funny as when you tell them about pigeons! ; ]

I've attached a care sheet and you can read the story of a surrendered dove here: Pierre The 3am Dove http://www.rescuereport.org/2010/03/p.html

Thanks! If you Tweet and Facebook, post this for us. People LIKE doves. 8 ] -- Elizabeth

Until they all have homes, don't buy, don't breed- adopt. www.RescueReport.org http://www.rescuereport.org/ www.MickaCoo.org http://www.mickacoo.org/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGjyooh3Yo0

-- Elizabeth Until they all have homes, don't buy, don't breed- adopt. www.RescueReport.org www.MickaCoo.org http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGjyooh3Yo0