Hello everyone
In the past week I have found two (fairly young I believe) collared doves dead in my garden. No blood on them and no feathers around, so I don't think they have been the victims of local cats (of which there are several, and there is also a sparrowhawk around). I have also observed doves sitting around on the ground a lot, and not flying off until I get very close. Can anyone advise me on whether this is normal dove behaviour, and what might be responsible for the deaths? I am worried I am doing something wrong in feeding the birds that is making them ill. I clean all the feeders once a week and in between clear away any uneaten food (seed mix, suet, mealworms, peanuts). I feel so privileged as I live in an urban area but have encouraged so much wildlife into my garden (including a very cheeky hedgehog who pulled the straw that I put in the hedgehog house into the sod heap!!), so finding dead birds is very upsetting and I don't want to be doing something that is harming them.
Thank you so much for any replies. Lu