lovey dovey

i dont know if i mentioned on here about my new dove. (i dont think i have)

well i have had a ringneck dove for about 5 years i think, and hes always been solitary because well i just couldn't FIND any doves in any pet stores around here.

the pet store where i originally got him, had a pair, one male one female (so they said)
when i went in to purchase them, the female had already been sold, so i bought the male. (so i was told)

ive been enjoying my wacky bird friend, which we call 'Coocoo bird' for years now and wanted to give him a companion for some time. i finaly found someone on craigslist in my area, selling a female (so i was told) ringneck.

she was a beautiful petite little thing, a bit paler than my male, so i could easily them them apart, so i took her home

we named her Whisper. she has a soft gentle coo and is an absolute delight.

but after doing some research, and observations, i am very confused as to the gender of these birds

male are supposed to be the only ones who bow-coo. Coocoo birds has been cooing constantly all the years ive had him, and he does duck his head when he does it, so i thought this was the bow-coo


but now whisper does a bow-coo (and actually bows really low) so i probably misunderstood what bow-cooing was, since i had only ever observed one bird doing it. she also stares him down while bow-cooing which is also supposed to be male behavior.

he fought with her a little when introducing her, which is normal from what ive read, if the birds are different genders. if they are male male, they are supposed to get aggressive and territorial, and im not seeing that. its been a  few weeks and they are best buds now, after the initial few days of 'getting to know each other'.

i put a bowl in there to serve as a nest, hoping maybe if i encouraged courting, i would be able to tell the gender better.
(i plan to remove any eggs they may lay, i sure dont need more birds lol)
but now Coocoo (the assumed male) is the one sitting in the nest, and gathering material to line it with.
hmm..

hes also doing this weird wing twitching thing, and sticking his butt in the air.

i read that the twitching IS a courting ritual but its primarily males. the sticking the butt in the air thing is female.. and Whisper is stalking him and bow cooing aggressively.
so i am so damn confused, cause both my birds demonstrate both male and female characteristics lol

i have to catch one in the act of laying eggs to know for sure lol. i may never know





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