The Ground Dove 129 



"One finds a great deal of difference in the individuahty of birds. Two 

 pairs of Ground Doves, whose nests we found, were very shy; but at a third 

 nest we discovered that we were able to move the camera up within 10 or 

 12 feet without frightening away the brooding parent. After it had stood there 

 a little while, we slowly moved it to within 4 or 5 feet. Instead of leaving her 

 home, the Dove raised her wings and spread her tail in anger. She gave a fine, 

 intense, whining note, as she struck at us with her soft bill. We annoyed her 

 to the extreme by putting a finger up to the edge of the nest, and finally stroked 

 her feathers. Then she seemed to realize that we had no intention of harming 

 her, and let us take as many pictures as we wished." 



It is one of the laws of nature that most birds that spend their lives largely 

 on the ground are subjected to so many natural enemies that it is necessary 

 for them to lay a large number of eggs in order to keep up the race. Thus a 

 Ruffed Grouse lays from six to ten, a Wild Turkey from eight to fourteen, and 

 the Bob- White all the way from a dozen to eighteen or even twenty. Yet the 

 Ground Dove is able to hold its numbers against its enemies by laying only two 

 eggs. How this is possible has not been fully explained. It certainly indicates 

 that the little Dove is well able to take care of itself. Among its enemies are 

 snakes, and numerous mammals, such as skunks, opossums, and foxes. Many 

 are annually caught by domestic and semi-domestic cats, for no matter how 

 well the average cat is fed it will seize a bird if it has the opportunity. 



On one occasion I saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk suddenly drop into an open 

 field and seize a Ground Dove, but, fortunately for the Dove, it escaped before 

 the Hawk had flown more than 50 feet with its victim. The Dove was out of 

 sight in a little oak bush before the numerous feathers that the Hawk had 

 dislodged had drifted to the earth. Walking over to see if the bird was much 

 injured I was surprised to see another Dove rise on the wing at a spot which 

 appeared to be not over 4 feet from where its companion had been seized. 

 As the Hawk had not observed me when it flew away, it is evident it had seen 

 only one Dove, the other probably escaping detection by the wise expedient 

 of lying motionless when sudden danger came upon it. 



