baby dove

Question
I found a baby mourning dove in the park today; it was walking in the park when we noticed it, and we looked for the mother and didn't see it anywhere. We left if alone for four hours, and found it again on the sidewalk on our walk home. It is about the same size as a baseball, maybe a little smaller. It walks on its own, and it has all it's feathers. It is shaking a lot, and I don't know what to feed it or how to care for it at all ( where to put it and how/what to feed it), but I didn't want the ants to eat it. Please give me some advice on how to help this dove survive. Thanks in advance, Jarrod.

Answer
Hi, Jarrod,

House the bird in a roomy cage or aviary, etc., until it gets older (unless you want the bird to roam free in your home or an area in your home).  Feed the bird dove grain you can purchase at a feed store, pet store, etc.  The bird will also need dove/pigeon grit, as well as fresh, clean water every day.  If you will eventually turn the bird loose, try to avoid contact with the bird as much as possible.

The bird could be shaking if it is cold, sick, but birds usually shake as a method of regulating their body temperature.  If the bird is a baby, it may still need some heat.

Chrys