On the Wings of a Dove

My husband found a wounded dove near our house. She had a bloody, apparently broken wing. He easily caught her, brought her home, and placed her in an empty rabbit hutch. We would not have been surprised to find her dead the next morning.

Happily, she wasn't, and we kept her fed and watered, and just gave her time to heal.

That was about six weeks ago.

We have discussed letting her go several times. Can she fly now? Do we wait until the weather is cooler? When would be the best time to let her go?

Yesterday morning when I went outside, there was a male dove sitting on our clothesline post. I walked close to him, and he didn't move until I was very near him, then he only flew a few feet farther. I went on about my business, walking on out to the horse pen where I spent quite a bit of time.

Later when my husband came outside, there was that male dove on the clothesline again.

Did you know doves mate for life?

"I wonder if that could be our doves mate?" He asked.

We decided it was time.

He went to the cage and got her. She was afraid when he reached in to get her, and lost a feather or two trying to get away. He brought her to the edge of our yard, gently tossed her up into the air.

Her wings caught the wind and she was off. Not a perfect flight, her damaged wing caused her to fly slightly tipped. But she flew across our road and landed high in the top of our neighbors tree.

I lost track of her for a moment while my husband and I celebrated her release and flight. Then I saw her again in the tree, along with another dove, and then noticed that the other dove was no longer on our clothesline.

It was a very good feeling, we knew that had he not brought her home, she would surely have died.

Later in the day, several hours later, my daughter and I walked out to the horse pen. Sitting on the top pipe of the pen was a pair of doves. As we got closer, one flew away. The other waited a second or two and flew also.

She flew slightly tipped, and a feather fell from her as she flew away.