I found a baby mourning dove yesterday

Question

i'm not completley sure how to take care of him. he was on my lawn yesterday, and there were no nests around him. he was probably just hatched, there was a little peice of egg shell near him on the ground and he kind of wabbled but now he has better balance. and he's reeeeallly tiny. i didn't want to leave him there because he can't fly and my nextdoor neighbors dogs and cats are constantly out even on our lawn, and they would literally eat him. i kept him in a shoe box with alot of holes in the top in my backyard up on a table, after sitting out front with him making sure his mom wasn't comming back cause i knew i would hear her if she did. i fed him alot, like every 2 hours, and he only eats a little everytime. & during the night i put a hot water bottle next to him incase its cold. he has a tiny stuffed animal too. but i still have some questions

* like how often do i feed him, and is every 2 hours enough ?

* how long should i keep him before i let him go ?

* he doesn't let go of my fingers and probably never saw his real mom, does he think i'm his mom ?

Answer 1

If the bird is fully feathered, it is most likely a fledgling and has left the nest on it's own and it's parents are caring for it. It is normal for birds to leave the nest before they can fly. You need to replace it where you found it..preferably in a scrub or tree so it is relatively safe from predators, and the parents should come back to feed it. If it is unfeathered...then look for a nest and if you can find it...replace it into the nest. Do not worry about your scent being on the chick..birds have a very poorly developed sense of smell and will NOT reject a baby that has been touched. If you cannot find a nest, get the bird to a local wildlife rehab for it's best chance of survival. Also, keep in mind, it is illegal for you to try and raise this bird on your own. Look for a rehab here:

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact....