Mourning Doves

[panhead]

Hi All, With the snow depths this yr. I cleared snow around thecovered bird feeder I built last yr and started throwing sunflower seeds on the ground. At times I had 20 plus doves out there at a time. Well now, later in the yr, I suppose you all that have been feeding and watching the birds, know what has happened? Squirrels have taken over.Counted 12 of them out there at one time today. Doves dont have a chance to get to the seeds. I built the feeder on posts surrounded by the biggest downspouts I could find. That worked the squirrels cannot get up the smooth surface. My question is for next yr. I would like to add a feeding platform, extention out 5 ft or so above grd.,no squirrels,but would the doves get on it? Any ideas and or thoughts appreciated. Feeding all the birds just makes me feel good. Thanks

[panhead]

Oh forgot to mention my labs are in great winter shape, chasing squirrels

[eyeguy 54]

pellet gun they make great stew.

[IA4PATS]

My guess is that they will use it. I don't know that for sure, but I know doves love my bird bath which is like a platform feeder. I would say anything they can walk around on would work.

[Hoey]

Through this winter we have had a dozen or so hanging around our place. They have been roosting during the day in our sunny brush piles. The brave ones have figured out how to get onto our small feeders, it takes them awhile to do this. So I am sure they will be comfortable on a platform type feeder.

[MN Shutterbug]

The doves have no qualms about getting on my platform feeders. I just haven't seen any yet this spring, although I did hear a Eurasian Collared Dove in the neighborhood a week ago.

[knoppers]

pellet gun they make great stew.

my 1400 fps scoped air rifle takes out red squires with almost no sound.

[WDH]

If you don't like feeding Squirrels, Raccoon's and the Common Grackle then put out Safflower. All most all of our native birds will eat Safflower, most of all the Mourning Dove. The Dove like's to have space, the only time they share that space is with their mate. Every now and then I will have a Dove on my platform feeders. What works for myself in the winter is that I snow blow a big patch in the yard, it's my Deer feeding area. I put out corn at night for the deer and at first light I spread Safflower around, the Doves come in and clean up the Safflower and what corn the deer have left. Also I put out around 12 ears or corn on spikes stuck in trees, the Squirrels will eat out the hearts and drop the rest on the ground at the base of the trees the Doves will clean up the rest.

[MN Shutterbug]

Actually, if it wasn't for Mourning Doves I wouldn't even buy safflower seed. I didn't think anything else ate the seeds but I let the platform feeder empty out of sunflower seeds today, because I can't afford to keep feeding the Grackles, and threw in a handful of safflower seed and lo and behold, my male Cardinal showed up. I grabbed my monocular and was surprised to see him gobbling up the seeds. I'm delighted.

[MN Shutterbug]

Guess what? My Grackles are eating my safflower seed. It took them awhile but they seem to have acquired a taste. Dirty bustards. They're even on my suet feeder. Is nothing sacred?

[eyeguy 54]

all I put out is oils. everything loves them, even my dog. lol

[MN Shutterbug]

The only thing that has kept the grackles out of my platform feeder is fresh paint. I spray painted it the other day and they wouldn't land on it until the smell left it. If a person could come up with a scent that grackles avoided but didn't deter other birds, he could probably make a fortune.

[eyeguy 54]

2 more showed up. one has a weird beak.

[Dotch]

Same here Mike. The mourning doves were eating safflower but at least they were leaving enough for the cardinals. Then those greedy grackles showed up en masse. I quit the suet feeding a while back. The starlings were becoming a nuisance. The good news is a Cooper's hawk made their lives a little more interesting last night.

[MN Shutterbug]

Regarding the suet feeder, every time I pull mine in, the starlings disappear. However, this year I have a nugget feeder out and they seem to really like that, also. Guess I'll have to bring that one in too.