Ring-necked Dove

• ExerciseLow

  Content with perch-hopping and a little out-of-cage time.

• GroomingEasy upkeep

  Fresh bath water and an occasional mist are all they ask.

• Living spaceStandard cage

  A proper cage and daily out-of-cage time fit fine in an apartment.

• Owner experienceSome experience helps

  A little know-how makes life smoother.

• Commitment10–15 years

  Plan for a long, loving relationship.

Health to watch: Respiratory issues · Egg binding · Obesity

The ring-necked dove is one of the gentlest and easiest companion birds — a soft-cooing, placid creature that radiates calm and, unlike most parrots, is neither loud nor destructive. It tames readily with gentle handling and is happy either as a calm single pet or in a bonded pair. Because doves fly rather than climb, they need a wide flight cage or aviary with low, flat perches and open space, and being ground-feeders they appreciate a floor area to forage on. Diet is a good dove or pigeon seed mix with fresh greens, plus grit and a calcium source such as cuttlebone to support their prolific egg-laying. That readiness to breed is the main thing to manage: a pair will lay almost continuously, so remove or replace eggs with dummies unless you want chicks, and provide calcium to protect hens from egg binding. Watch also for respiratory disease and the protozoal infection canker (trichomoniasis), keep housing clean, and keep the air free of the non-stick fumes, aerosols and smoke that harm all birds. Gentle, quiet and long-lived at ten to fifteen years or more, a dove is an ideal first bird for a calm household.

• How much activity does a Ring-necked Dove need?

  Low. Content with perch-hopping and a little out-of-cage time.

• How much feather care does a Ring-necked Dove need?

  Easy upkeep. Fresh bath water and an occasional mist are all they ask.

• What cage does a Ring-necked Dove need?

  Standard cage. A proper cage and daily out-of-cage time fit fine in an apartment.

• Is a Ring-necked Dove a good fit for first-time owners?

  Some experience helps. A little know-how makes life smoother.

• How long do Ring-necked Dove live?

  10–15 years. Plan for a long, loving relationship.

• What health issues affect the Ring-necked Dove?

  Keep an eye out for Respiratory issues, Egg binding, Obesity. These are worth raising with your vet, along with any screening they recommend.

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