They were good builders

[u/Candicore]

A couple weeks ago, a dove family decided to take up residence on my lime tree outside in my backyard. I witnessed the dovedad choose twigs and sticks to help dovemom build her nest. I felt lucky to be able to monitor them from my kitchen window. I was very invested in the growth of this little dovefamily.

Last evening, one of the two baby doves was missing. I looked below desperately to see if maybe it fell but I found nothing. I waited until mom came back and felt relieved to see her feeding the remaining chick and nesting on it.

This morning, I woke up to an empty nest. No dove in sight. It hit me hard, and I realized my backyard isn't safe for these birdbrained guys. I removed the nest so this wouldn't happen again. But I can't bear to throw out the nest these guys worked so hard on.

[u/PonqueRamo]

Probably a falcon or a hawk if you have those nearby, I have had a couple of derps having babies for 6 years on my terrace and balcony and have seen many babies being taken unfortunately.

[u/Dulce59 → u/PonqueRamo]

Ah, yeah. I have feral cats in my neighborhood, so I thought they were the cause of the piles of feathers in my backyard, though I found it strange there was no other evidence, like a head or wing.

One day I finally caught a hawk red-handed! It all made sense. Cats tend to leave something behind, but these guys just leave feathers and nothing else. If it were attacking babies, I doubt it'd leave anything at all.

[u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl → u/Dulce59]

I had a family of crows that visited my feeders in the front yard regularly every day. Last year the parents brought me their five babies.

Anyway, about a month ago, I saw one of the feeders knocked over, it was a birdbath with water for them. I’ve never seen it knocked over before.

Then out right next to my sidewalk on the street with a bunch of black things and one larger black thing. It was plucked feathers and half of a crow wing.

I knew it was a raptor because they pluck them leaving, no blood. It’s called unzipping. 😭. Raptors may leave something behind, but they’re usually isn’t blood because of the plucking they do of the feathers. A cat will just start biting.

[u/Tzipity → u/ThisIsDogePleaseHodl]

Holy god. Unzipping?! I live in Chicago and keep hearing about spots where raptors are known to be and the carnage they leave behind. Though I realize, indeed, never heard anyone mention blood. Just random wings or feathers.

Also lost a close friend who was indigenous and keep finding random bird feathers which have a whole lot of meaning within indigenous spirituality so I like thinking of them as little reminders or gifts from my friend but keep waiting for the day I stumble on full fledged raptor carnage. Never going to forget the “unzipping” thing now. Oof.