Flowerbox Bird Nest - Mourning Dove - Feeding - 2

Mourning dove parents feed their young, called "squabs", a nutritious liquid called "crop milk" that is high in protein, fat, and antibodies. Both parents feed the milk mouth to mouth to the babies while they are still in the nest. The milk is made from cells that have been shed from the crop lining of the adult bird's throat.
The squabs feed on the milk for about three days. After that, they are gradually weaned to seeds, which become their main food source.
In southern areas, one pair of mourning doves may raise as many as five to six broods per year. The young leave the nest at about 15 days old, but usually wait nearby to be fed for another one to two weeks. The nest is rarely left unattended.