high mortality

Our juvenile stock doves fledged last week.

Juvenile stock dove

There's high mortality amongst birds post-fledging.

Birds need to acquire skills of foraging, roosting safely and avoiding predators.

As a consequence they rapidly lose condition.

This young bird is 'one of our own' as we can see from its ring. Fledged, as I say, last week.

It is wandering around looking for food but finding little, sitting in exposed places, unaware of the dangers.

Ringed

Hope it avoids the sparrowhawk.

In the meantime, the production line rolls on as mum is on another clutch of eggs.