Our apartment backs onto a cliff and ever since we moved in there have been Rock Doves flying around. Nineteen months ago Pedro entered our lives when he decided to make the small window balcony at the side of our kitchen his home. Unfortunately at the time it was the home to two mating doves, one a Rock Dove and one a Stock Dove. Not to be put off Pedro managed over time to see off both the parents and raise the two squabs.
Over the last nineteen months he has had three partners, two of which remain in the window balcony, and at least 20 squabs. We stopped feeding and encouraging them when we got Moreno 12 months ago but he was, and remained, a very enjoyable part of our life.
Sadly this morning we found him dead in the window balcony. There was no obvious sign as to why, although his neck did look to be at a funny angle, so we are assuming that he broke his neck defending his territory. Either way it is good that he died in his bed as at least we know what has happened to him. It would have been horrible if he had just not returned one day.
It wont be the same without him – his cooing throughout the day, the way he hopped into the kitchen for some food whenever we left the window open, and the way he strutted around the roof as if it was his own.
He was great to have around, and provided us with some great memories and photographs – some of which are below, more of which can be found on the gallery at the bottom.
We have buried him in the window balcony under a piece of slate that we have scratched his details on – at least that way he will always be with us!
He leaves behind two widows who are looking somewhat lost today, and god knows how many children and grandchildren!!!
This was always one of my favourite pictures of him, taken the day his first squab hatched.
He was such a great dad!
He loved to pop in for a bite to eat.
He was such a handsome Dove
It is amazing how attached you become to pets – ones you go out and get and those that just appear in your life like Pedro & Moreno. We realised at our last visit to the vets that our cats are now over half way through their life and it made us realise that they won’t be with us forever. Really sad.
Cheers.
We will have had Moreno for a year in two weeks time, he was 7 months when we got him. He gets to go the vet this week for his annual injections 🙁
How do you find vets bills in Spain?
Having not had pets in the UK I don’t know if this is cheap or not but his annual cat flu, leukemia booster will be about 30€ and when he has his nuts done it cost 90€
Hell of a place to set up home, your balcony, great view!
On the subject of vets I swear my cat knows what that word means. If we say it he cant be found until the next morning!
🙂
It is a little sad still, not as much cooing as usual! There are a few Rock Doves that have made their home in the window balcony but it was ‘Pedi’s House’ no doubt and he kept things in order – all seems very somber at the moment.
@Dunks – took Moreno to vet for a couple of his annual booster injections yestyerday, cost 36€
The welcome death of another flying rat!
Not exactly how we feel but you are entitled to your opinion.
Pedro probably broke his neck by flying into a window. Pigeons often do that.
That may be the case. He lived there for 18 months so should have known about the window but we figure that they were all fighting more. Rather weird, we found another dead one a couple of days ago. That is two in a couple of weeks and before that none in 18 months.