Mating Habits of Ringneck Doves

People have kept ringneck doves in captivity for more than 2,000 years. The good-natured bird makes a loving and affectionate pet. They form a firm bond with their mate but can become territorial with other birds. Once the birds mate, they will usually remain a pair for life.

  1. Pairing

    • The ringneck dove reaches sexual maturity at six months old. Wait to place a male and female together until the birds reach nine to 12 months old to give them sufficient time to mature. A male and female may instantly bond, or the pair may take weeks to establish a relationship; some pairs take months to mate. The male will instantly begin to court and try to impress the female by cooing and parading in front of her so she breeds with him.

    Cage

    • The mated ringneck dove couple will require a large flight cage if kept with other birds. Even in a large cage the birds may not reproduce, because they prefer solitude. The ringneck dove pair does best when housed alone in a smaller cage. A cage that measures 18 inches in height by 18 inches in length by 24 inches in width will provide the pair with sufficient room. The pair may take time to become accustomed to the cage before breeding commences.

    Nest Building

    • Place a nest box in the cage prior to placing the pair into the cage. The ringneck dove prefers an open nest receptacle instead of a covered nest box. A wide array of commercial nest boxes are available for doves. Provide grass or straw for the male ringneck to gather. He will drop twigs, grass and straw into the box to build a nest. The nest usually turns out quite delicate and rarely has a good shape to it. Once the male has constructed the nest he will usually jump into it and coo at the female. He may bow his head a bit, flutter his wings and continue to coo as he tries to convince her to breed with him.

    Eggs and Young

    • The act of mating occurs relatively quickly. The male and female may mate several times each day until the female lays her first egg. The male will often relentlessly push the female to the nest box to persuade her to lay her eggs within it. The female can suffer injury during the male's aggressive driving behavior. The female will produce two eggs. Both the male and female will sit on the eggs at intervals for 14 days until they hatch. The parents feed the young by regurgitating into their mouths. The young will leave the nest in three to four weeks. The ringneck dove pair will usually mate again immediately after the young have fledged. Allowed to freely mate, the pair will often produce young every six weeks. The ongoing reproduction can wear the birds out, so consider removing the nest box to give the couple a rest between clutches.