Fledgling and post fledging activities
Many people think the birds fly away to the freedom sky after leaving the nest, but this is not true. The parents continue to care and feed the young on the ground, teach them to find their own food, also guard and guide them from short to longer flight until they learn all surviving skills to be a dove. Initially, they often stay near the nesting tree area. They leave their parents at around 30 days of age becoming independent and youngsters will no longer recognize their parents after a year, as reported in literature. If you want to see the doves' nest life, click here to watch my authentic photo documentary. (Please be patient for loading time). |
Looking through the window at the empty nest now, after the sad and happy stories ended, it’s quiet as nothing happened. It collected fall leaves and winter snows; awaits doves homecoming for the next breeding season. Hope you liked my story and knowing parenting is never easy, same for wildlife and human families. Parenting is forever; we have gone through a lot by now. With bitter sweet mixed feelings, we have reached the final stage, also the longest stage, of parenting – the empty nest. Letting go is hard and emotionally let go is more challenging. Our children are not our possessions; they are independent life’s longing for itself. They come from parents, but not belong to parents. We give them love, but not our thoughts. We keep them home for shelter, but can’t protect them for forever. They belongs to future, beyond our reach. |