Written by the Birdsville team. Last updated October 2026.
Doves make wonderful pet birds. They are gentle, quiet, hardy and inexpensive to keep, and their soft cooing is one of the most calming sounds a bird can make. A tame dove will happily sit with you, and many learn to walk back into their cage on their own. This guide explains how to care for doves: the right seed and grit, cage and aviary setup, breeding, health and the most popular dove species to keep.
Birdsville sells a range of doves, along with all the seed, grit, cages and supplies they need. Visit us at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, or shop online through Petsville for delivery anywhere in Australia.
Dove Quick Facts
Most common at Birdsville: Talpacoti Dove, Diamond Dove and Peaceful Dove
Other pet doves: Ringneck (Barbary) Dove including white doves, and Emerald Dove
Size: about 17 to 30cm depending on species
Lifespan: around 10 to 15 years with good care
Diet: finch mix or budgie mix, shell grit, greens and supplements
Housing: a wide cage or aviary with room to fly and walk on the floor
Noise: quiet, with soft cooing
Temperament: gentle and calm, rarely bites
Clutch: usually 2 white eggs
Experience level: great for beginners
On This Page
Doves as Pets
Popular Dove Species
Essential Supplies
Cage and Aviary Setup
Enrichment for Doves
Diet and Feeding
Grit and Calcium
Water and Bathing
Vitamins
Handling and Taming
Common Health Problems
Worming and Parasites
Cleaning
Household Dangers
Signs of a Healthy Dove
Sexing Doves
Breeding Doves
Record Keeping
Holiday Care
Transport
Mixing Doves With Other Birds
Boarding
Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Vets and Links
Doves as Pets
Doves are among the easiest birds to keep. They don’t need fruit and vegetable prep every day like a lorikeet, they don’t chew furniture like a parrot, and their gentle cooing won’t upset the neighbours. Once tamed, a dove can become a close companion that enjoys sitting near you and seeks out your attention.
They are also very social with their own kind. Most doves are happiest in pairs or small groups, and they live peacefully alongside finches and other gentle birds in a mixed aviary. Their calm nature makes them a lovely first bird for adults and older children, though they are better watched than squeezed, so they suit families who will handle them gently.
Popular Dove Species
The doves we have in most often at Birdsville are Talpacoti Doves, Diamond Doves and Peaceful Doves. What’s in store changes through the year, so call us or follow our socials to see what’s in.
Talpacoti Dove
The Talpacoti Dove, also called the Ruddy Ground Dove, is a small South American dove about 17cm long and around 35 to 55g. Males are a rich rusty red with a soft grey head and black spots on the wings, while females are a plainer grey brown, so pairs are easy to pick. They are calm, quiet ground feeders that spend much of the day walking and pecking on the aviary floor. Coming from warmer climates, they appreciate a sheltered, draught-free roost in a Sydney winter.
Diamond Dove
The Diamond Dove is Australia’s smallest dove, around 19 to 21cm long and about 35g. It is soft blue grey with white spots on the wings, a long tail and a bright red ring around the eye. Colour mutations such as silver, white and cinnamon are popular. Diamond Doves are gentle, quiet and breed readily, which makes them a favourite in finch aviaries.
Peaceful Dove
The Peaceful Dove is a small, slender native dove about 20cm long, with fine black barring on a grey brown body and a blue eye ring. Many people know its soft, repeated call from Australian gardens. In an aviary it is calm and mixes well with finches and other small birds.
Other Pet Doves: Ringneck (Barbary) Doves and White Doves
The Ringneck Dove, also called the Barbary Dove, is the classic domestic pet dove, around 25 to 30cm long with a black half collar on the back of the neck. It comes in fawn, pied, tangerine and pure white. The white doves used at weddings and memorials are usually white Ringneck Doves. They are the easiest dove to tame and can live 10 to 15 years.
Other Pet Doves: Emerald Dove
The Emerald Dove is a stunning, stocky dove about 23 to 27cm long, with glossy emerald green wings, a pinkish brown body and a red beak. It spends much of its time on the ground and naturally eats fallen fruit as well as seed, so it does best in a planted aviary with cover. Males have a white shoulder patch and a grey cap that females lack.
Essential Supplies for Doves
All of these products, and many more, are available in-store at Birdsville and online at Petsville.
Housing
Wide cage or aviary with fine mesh or bars no wider than about 2cm
Flat perches and natural branches in a range of thicknesses
Open nest pan or shallow basket for roosting and breeding
Swamp grass or soft nesting fibre (https://petsville.com.au/collections/bird-subsrate)
Cage cover or shade cloth to soften the roof
Seed and Food
Basic Finch Mix for small doves (https://petsville.com.au/products/avigrain-seed-finch-blue-2kg)
Basic Budgie Mix for larger doves (https://petsville.com.au/products/avigrain-seed-budgie-blue-2kg)
Birdsville Blends Finch and Canary (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-finch-canary-500g)
Birdsville Blends Budgie Gourmet (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-budgie-500g)
Vetafarm Finch and Budgie Crumbles (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-finch-budgie-crumbles-450g)
Millet sprays as a treat (https://petsville.com.au/products/millet-sprays-mixed-100g)
Egg and biscuit for breeding birds (https://petsville.com.au/products/sheps-egg-biscuit-500g)
Grit and Calcium
Shell grit (https://petsville.com.au/products/shell-grit-5kg)
Vetafarm Calcivet (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-calcivet-50ml)
Cuttlebone (https://petsville.com.au/products/whole-cuttle-bones-singular)
Water and Bathing
Water dispenser or heavy bowl
Wide, shallow bath dish
Vetafarm Aviclens water cleanser (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-aviclens-water-cleanser-100ml)
Vitamins
Vetafarm Multivet (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-multivet-50ml)
Vetafarm Soluvite D for doves kept out of the sun (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-soluvite-d-25g)
Health and Hygiene
Avitrol Mite and Lice Spray (https://petsville.com.au/products/fidos-avitrol-bird-mite-and-lice-spray-125ml)
Bird wormer such as Vetafarm Wormout Gel (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-wormout-gel-50ml)
F10 Veterinary Disinfectant (https://petsville.com.au/products/f10-veterinary-disinfectant-200ml)
Travel
Small carry cage
Worth Considering
Vetafarm Spark Liquid for moving day (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-spark-liquid-50ml)
Vetafarm Breeding Aid (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-breeding-aid-100ml)
Cage and Aviary Setup
Doves don’t climb around their cage like parrots. They fly from end to end and spend a lot of time walking on the floor, so a dove cage needs to be wide and long rather than tall. As a guide, a pair of Ringneck Doves needs a cage of at least 90 x 90 x 90cm, and a single tame dove at least 60 x 60 x 60cm. Bigger is always better, because a dove that can’t exercise properly is more likely to become overweight, and hens that can’t exercise are more prone to egg binding.
An outdoor aviary is the ideal home for most doves, especially Talpacoti, Diamond, Peaceful and Emerald Doves. Give them a roofed, sheltered end where they can get out of wind and rain, and an open flight where they can sunbathe. Emerald Doves in particular need plenty of shrubs and low cover to feel secure.
Doves can panic and fly straight up when frightened at night, which can injure their heads. Shade cloth under the aviary roof, a softer cage top or a dim night light helps prevent injury.
Setting Up a Dove Cage or Aviary
- Choose a quiet spot with morning sun, away from draughts, cats and the kitchen.
- Put food, grit and water dishes on the floor or low down, where doves naturally feed.
- Fit perches at each end so they fly the full length, with plenty of open space between.
- Add a flat shelf or wide perch, as doves like to rest on flat surfaces.
- Hang an open nest pan or basket in a sheltered corner.
- Cover the floor with clean sand, newspaper or seed husk free litter that’s easy to change.
- Check for gaps where mice, rats or snakes could get in.
Enrichment for Doves
Doves don’t play with toys the way parrots do. Their enrichment comes from space, company and natural behaviours.
Room to fly: daily flight keeps doves fit and relaxed.
Company: a mate or a small group of doves is the best enrichment you can give.
Ground foraging: scatter some of their seed on a clean floor tray so they can search for it.
Seeding grasses: a tray of growing wheatgrass or a bunch of seeding native grasses gives them something to pick through.
Sunbathing: doves love to lie in the sun with one wing raised. Give them a sunny spot with shade to retreat to.
Bathing: a wide, shallow bath or a gentle misting is enjoyed by most doves.
Diet and Feeding
Doves are seed eaters. Most doves do well on a quality finch mix or budgie mix, with shell grit always available on the side. Small doves such as Talpacoti, Diamond and Peaceful Doves usually suit finch mix, while larger Ringneck and Emerald Doves are happy on budgie mix.
For the best results, we recommend feeding three things together: a basic mix such as our Basic Finch Mix or Basic Budgie Mix, a Birdsville Blend such as Finch and Canary or Budgie Gourmet, and some Vetafarm Finch and Budgie Crumbles for extra vitamins and protein. Birdsville seed and Birdsville Blends are bagged fresh on site from quality ingredients, and our high turnover means it never sits on the shelf for long. Avoid many chain store mixes, because low quality grains and filler seed affect the health and vitality of your birds.
How Much and How Often to Feed
Adults: keep the seed dish full at all times. Doves eat little and often throughout the day. Every morning, blow or sift off the empty husks that collect on top, because a dish that looks full can be nearly empty underneath.
Breeding birds and young doves: add a small spoonful of egg and biscuit each day while parents are feeding chicks and for the first weeks after the young leave the nest.
Weigh your doves or feel their keel every week or two so you notice any weight loss early.
Fruits and Veggie Guide
Greens and Vegetables
Many doves ignore fruit and vegetables completely, and that’s normal for a seed eater. Some will pick at chopped spinach, silverbeet, endive, sprouted seed or seeding grasses, which are worth offering a couple of times a week.
Fruit
Emerald Doves are the exception. They eat fallen fruit in the wild, so offer them small pieces of apple, pear, berries or grapes a few times a week.
Protein and Treats
Millet spray, egg and biscuit, and for Emerald Doves the occasional live mealworm (live mealworms are available in-store only).
Avoid Entirely
Avocado, onion, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, salty or fatty food and mouldy or dusty seed.
Grit and Calcium
Doves swallow seed whole without removing the husk, so they need grit in their gizzard to grind it up. Keep a separate dish of shell grit available at all times and top it up weekly. Shell grit also provides calcium, which hens need to lay strong eggs.
We recommend Vetafarm Calcivet for every bird, and especially for doves kept indoors or out of direct sunlight, as it supplies calcium with vitamin D3. A cuttlebone gives an extra source of calcium they can peck at.
Water and Bathing
Doves are unusual among birds because they suck water up like a straw instead of scooping it. Give them a water dish deep enough to dip their whole beak in, and change the water daily. A few drops of Aviclens helps keep it clean.
Most doves enjoy bathing. Offer a wide, shallow dish of clean water a few times a week, or lightly mist them on warm days.
Vitamins
Add a vitamin supplement such as Vetafarm Multivet to the water once or twice a week to cover the gaps in a seed diet. If your doves don’t get direct sunlight, a vitamin D supplement such as Vetafarm Soluvite D in the water helps them use calcium properly.
Handling and Taming
Doves are gentle and rarely bite and if they did it does not really hurt. A young, hand tamed dove can become very friendly, though many aviary doves prefer to be watched rather than held.
Give a new dove a few days to settle before you try to handle it. Move slowly and speak softly, because sudden movements and bright, waving objects can frighten them. Offer millet spray from your hand to build trust. Once tame, many doves will step onto a flat hand and sit with you.
To pick up a dove, cup it gently from above with both hands, holding the wings against the body. Never grab a dove by the tail, as the feathers come out easily. Supervise children closely so they handle doves calmly and gently.
Common Health Problems
Doves are generally hardy, but they hide illness well. A dove that sits fluffed up, stops eating or has messy droppings needs attention quickly. See our Common Bird Illnesses guide for more (https://birdsville.net.au/common-bird-illnesses/).
Canker
Canker (trichomoniasis) is a common parasite in doves and pigeons. It causes yellow, cheesy growths in the mouth and throat, trouble swallowing and weight loss. It spreads through shared water and parents feeding chicks. Clean water every day and a vet visit at the first sign help keep it under control.
Coccidiosis
This gut parasite thrives in damp, dirty aviaries. Signs include green or bloody droppings, weight loss and a fluffed up bird. Keep floors dry and clean, and talk to your vet or our team about treatment.
Egg Binding
A hen that can’t pass an egg sits fluffed on the floor, strains and may wag her tail. It is more likely in hens short on calcium or exercise. Keep a hen warm and see an avian vet straight away. Shell grit, Calcivet and a roomy cage are the best prevention.
Respiratory Infections
Draughts, damp and dusty seed can lead to sneezing, wheezing, tail bobbing and discharge from the nostrils. Keep doves sheltered from cold wind and buy fresh, clean seed.
Night Fright and Injuries
Doves can panic in the dark and fly into the roof or wire. Shade cloth under the roof and a dim night light reduce injuries. Indoors, watch for windows, mirrors and ceiling fans.
Mites and Lice
External parasites cause feather damage, itchiness and restlessness. Regular mite and lice spray keeps them away.
Worming and Parasites
Worm your doves every 6 months. If your dove is newly weaned, wait a few weeks to two months after bringing it home for the first dose, and check the timing with our team.
Treat for mites and lice regularly. Remove food and water, spray the birds, cage, perches and nest, and avoid the eyes. Follow the directions on the bottle.
Quarantine new birds for 4 to 6 weeks before mixing them with your existing doves.
Cleaning
Daily
Change the water, blow husks off the seed and check the grit dish.
Weekly
Clean the cage floor or rake the aviary floor, and wash dishes and perches.
Monthly
Disinfect the whole cage or aviary with a bird safe disinfectant such as F10, and replace worn perches and nesting material.
Household Dangers
See the Avoid Entirely list in the Fruits and Veggie Guide for unsafe foods. Around the home, also watch out for:
Cats and dogs, which see doves as prey
Ceiling fans, windows and mirrors
Non-stick cookware fumes, aerosols and smoke
Insect sprays, rat baits, bleach and cleaning products
Open water such as sinks and buckets
Cold draughts, which are one of the biggest causes of illness in birds
Signs of a Healthy Dove
Whether you’re buying a new dove or checking your own, look for these signs of good health.
Eyes: bright and clear, with a clean eye ring and no discharge.
Body condition: feel the keel, the breast bone under the chest. It should have firm muscle on both sides, not feel sharp. Birds lose weight quickly when unwell, so check regularly.
Beak and mouth: clean, with no yellow growths inside the mouth.
Nostrils: clean and dry.
Feathers: smooth and tight, with no bald patches.
Vent: clean and free of staining.
Feet: clean, with no swelling.
Behaviour: alert and active, walking and flying normally.
Appetite: eating and drinking well.
Sexing Doves
How easy it is to sex a dove depends on the species.
Talpacoti Doves: males are rusty red with a grey head, while females are plain grey brown.
Diamond Doves: males have a larger, brighter red eye ring and a bluer head and chest.
Emerald Doves: males have a white shoulder patch and a grey crown.
Ringneck Doves: males and females look almost the same. Males coo and bow to females, but behaviour isn’t always reliable.
Peaceful Doves: very hard to tell apart by sight.
Where you can’t tell by looking, DNA sexing from a few plucked feathers gives a reliable answer. DNA Solutions offers bird DNA sexing by post (https://dnasolutions.com.au/animal-dna-testing/).
Breeding Doves
Doves breed readily, and a male and female kept together will usually start nesting with little encouragement. Never house two male Ringneck Doves together, as they will fight.
Provide an open nest pan or shallow basket in a sheltered spot, with some swamp grass or soft nesting fibre. Both parents build the nest, sit on the eggs and feed the chicks on crop milk.
Most doves lay 2 white eggs. Small doves like the Talpacoti and Diamond Dove incubate for about 12 to 14 days, and the chicks can be flying at around two weeks old. Feed egg and biscuit while chicks are being raised, and keep shell grit and Calcivet available for the hen.
Doves can breed back to back. Rest a pair for a few months after two clutches, or remove the nest, so the hen doesn’t wear herself out. Vetafarm Breeding Aid supports birds through the breeding season.
Record Keeping
Keep a simple record of each dove’s weight, worming and mite treatment dates, vet visits, pairings and egg and chick dates. A sudden drop in weight is often the first sign that something is wrong.
Holiday Care
Doves are easier to leave than many birds because seed doesn’t spoil, but they still need fresh water and their husks cleared. Ask someone to visit every day or two, or book them into boarding.
Transport
Use a small, secure, ventilated carry cage. Doves travel more calmly in a carrier with a low roof and a cover over part of it. Keep trips short, avoid direct sun and never leave birds in a parked car. A little Vetafarm Spark Liquid in the water after a move helps them recover. Birdsville sells a range of carry cages (https://birdsville.net.au/carry-cages/).
Mixing Doves With Other Birds
Doves are some of the most peaceful aviary birds and live well with finches, canaries, quail and gentle small parrots. Avoid housing them with larger or aggressive parrots, which can bully or injure them.
Don’t overcrowd the aviary, as dove pairs can squabble over nest sites. When adding a new bird, place it in its own cage inside the aviary for about two weeks so everyone gets used to each other before it’s released. Complete the 4 to 6 week quarantine first.
Boarding
Going away? Birdsville offers bird boarding in Sydney (https://birdsville.net.au/parrot-bird-boarding-sydney/). Bring your doves’ usual seed so their diet stays the same.
Dove Care Frequently Asked Questions
Do doves make good pets?
Yes. Doves are gentle, quiet, hardy and inexpensive, which makes them one of the best birds for beginners. They rarely bite, their cooing is soft and calming, and they don’t need daily fruit and vegetable prep. They do best in pairs or small groups and need a wide cage or aviary with room to fly.
What do pet doves eat?
Most pet doves eat a quality finch mix or budgie mix, with shell grit always available in a separate dish. Small doves suit finch mix and larger doves suit budgie mix. Add crumbles and a vitamin supplement, offer greens or sprouted seed now and then, and give Emerald Doves some fruit too.
Why do doves need shell grit?
Doves swallow seed whole without removing the husk, so they need grit in their gizzard to grind it up and digest it. Shell grit also supplies calcium for strong bones and eggshells. Keep a separate dish of shell grit in the cage at all times and top it up every week.
How long do pet doves live?
Most pet doves live around 10 to 15 years with good care, and some live longer. Diamond Doves often reach 10 years or more, while Ringneck Doves commonly live 10 to 15 years. A fresh seed diet, shell grit, clean water, regular worming and a roomy, draught-free home all help.
Can doves live with finches?
Yes. Doves are among the most peaceful aviary birds and usually live happily with finches, canaries and quail. Talpacoti, Diamond and Peaceful Doves are especially popular in finch aviaries. Give them enough space and nest sites, avoid overcrowding, and keep them away from larger or aggressive parrots that could bully them.
How can you tell if a dove is male or female?
It depends on the species. Male Talpacoti Doves are rusty red while females are grey brown, and male Diamond Doves have a bigger, brighter red eye ring. Ringneck and Peaceful Doves are very hard to tell apart by sight, so a DNA test from a few feathers is the most reliable way to know.
Recommended Vets and Links
SASH (Small Animal Specialist Hospital), 5/476 Gardeners Rd, Alexandria NSW 2015, 02 8913 4000, sashvets.com (24/7 emergency)
The Wild Vet, 22A Bridge Road, Glebe, 1300 945 3838, thewildvet.com.au
SERV, 57-63 Herbert St, Artarmon, 02 9436 4884, exoticsvet.com.au
Southern Cross Veterinary Clinic, 60 Princes Hwy, St Peters, 02 9516 0234, southerncrossvet.com.au
Carlingford Animal Hospital, 772 Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford, 02 9871 6036, birdhealth.com.au
The Unusual Pet Vets, 995 Bourke Street, Waterloo NSW 2017, 02 9319 6111, unusualpetvets.com.au
Vetafarm, vetafarm.com.au
Further reading:
PetMD, Dove Care Sheet (https://www.petmd.com/bird/dove-care-sheet)
Lafeber, Diamond Dove (https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/?p=6262)
DNA Solutions, bird DNA sexing (https://dnasolutions.com.au/animal-dna-testing/)
Doves and Dove Supplies at Birdsville
Birdsville has been Sydney’s bird specialist since 1985. We’re a small business that does things in a big way, and because nobody tells us how to run our shop, we keep our seed and supplies the best of the best.
Visit us at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, on the corner of Gardeners Road, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney. Come in or call (02) 9669 1766 to see which doves we have in, or shop seed, grit and supplies on Petsville (https://petsville.com.au/collections/seed-1) with delivery Australia-wide.
Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BirdsvilleRosebery/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/petsvillesydney/) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@birdsvillepets) for live updates and new arrivals.
