Reply #130: while knoxville is pretty much strip mall exurban sprawl hell...

[pitohui]

...the doves are still there

what part of town are you not seeing or hearing doves? i almost wonder if it's something peculiar to your property or neighborhood, keeping in mind that feral cats prey on mourning doves and stop them from being able to breed by taking the fledglings as they are leaving the nest and just learning to fly (witnessed this myself) and there are some feral cat feeders around -- but even then i still see doves they just have to be more cautious

i never have any trouble seeing mourning doves there and i've been there within the year, i'm not talking about 15 yrs ago?

frogs are gone everywhere, i'm flabbergasted at what has happened to the toads and frogs

but for doves, you could try trouble-shooting your property for feral cats or other predators (rodents?) that like to prey on dove nestlings and eggs, also, if you put hanging baskets near windows, doves might use that, being up against a human's home is often a good protection for them and they often choose to put their nests in such territories -- they are quick 'n' dirty nest builders, who raise babies quickly two at a time, and if the nest fails, it fails, they might try again somewhere else...?