# How to discourage fat moochers \[mourning doves\]
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 31, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072 "2014-08-31T20:20:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/1 "2014-08-31T20:20:17Z")
Mourning doves! They are sitting on the 2" Rim at the bottom of a finch feeder. It’s a long tube filled with thistle seed for the goldfinches with little perches but they can’t come around because a mourning dove has squeezed its fat carcass onto the rim at the bottom so it can gobble down the seed for itself. Any suggestion how to discourage it? Put something on the rim maybe, but what?
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/2 "2014-08-31T20:28:41Z")
BB Gun.
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/3 "2014-08-31T20:30:13Z")
A 2" piece of pvc pipe fitted to come down from the bottom rim should prevent big birds from grabbing an edge and pigging out.
[Some finch feeder designs](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22finch+feeder%22&num=20&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=m9X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=poQDVLioD4TJgwT594HIDg&ved=0CFsQsAQ&biw=1370&bih=758) don’t even have a rim at the bottom.
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### Author:  [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/4 "2014-08-31T20:35:35Z")
Simplest thing might be to buy a model of finch feeder that doesn’t have the rim on the bottom.
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### Author:  [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/5 "2014-08-31T20:39:00Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#):
>
> BB Gun.
This is [illegal](http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/migtrea.html) as mourning doves are included in the[list of birds protected by the migratory bird treaty act.](http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/regulationspolicies/mbta/MBTANDX.HTML)
Having pointed out that the advice is illegal, I guess I don’t also have to point out that it’s needlessly cruel as well.
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### Author:  [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/6 "2014-08-31T20:42:00Z")
I wonder if I am the only person to find the title of this thread not only misleading as to the OP’s content, but offensive. Reported.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/7 "2014-08-31T20:42:44Z")
But the results are delicious. And in my state dove season starts tomorrow.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/8 "2014-08-31T20:46:27Z")
There are feeders that have adjustable tension for the perch ring. Something as heavy as a dove would cause the feed ports to close.
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### Author:  [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/9 "2014-08-31T21:10:14Z")
> [@Finagle](#):
>
> This is [illegal](http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/migtrea.html) as mourning doves are included in the[list of birds protected by the migratory bird treaty act.](http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/regulationspolicies/mbta/MBTANDX.HTML)
>
> Having pointed out that the advice is illegal, I guess I don’t also have to point out that it’s needlessly cruel as well.
Yep, there it is in the list of protected species:
DOVE, Mourning, _Zenaida macroura_
Thanks for pointing that out. I love the sound of mourning doves, though I rarely actually see them. If the OP is interested in a feeder for finches and other small birds that is inaccessible to the doves, I would suggest a separate feeder for the doves, too.
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### Author:  [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/10 "2014-08-31T21:22:29Z")
Dove season starts tomorrow here and it **is legal** as long as you have a regular hunting license and go online or call to get a free HIP number for migratory birds. All the ducks and other waterfowl on that list are certainly fair game (sorry) during waterfowl season. Googling, it looks like NYS [does not have a dove season for bureaucratic reasons](http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/59626.html), though.
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### Author:  [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/11 "2014-08-31T21:31:55Z")
I have some hanging feeders and several pairs of mourning doves - but along with the cardinals and a few other birds, the doves never use the hanging feeders. They are naturally ground foraging feeders; I’m surprised they are using the finch feeder. So whenever you fill the hanging feeder, scatter some seed on the ground for the doves.
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### Author:  [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/12 "2014-08-31T21:50:23Z")
[Emeril](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/pan-roasted-squab-with-a-fig-and-red-wine-reduction-sauce-recipe.html) to the rescue.
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/13 "2014-08-31T22:29:24Z")
**Moderator Note**
Thread title edited to more clearly indicate the topic.
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### Author:  [@slowlearner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slowlearner)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/14 "2014-08-31T22:45:54Z")
Scatter some sunflower seeds under the feeder, I’m feeding Eurasian collared doves and white winged doves as well as mourning doves. Dove season starts tomorrow, daybreak out here in the country it will sound like Dick Cheney is shooting it out with the ISIL hordes we’ve got swarming over the Rio Bravo. Me and the doves sheltering in place…
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### Author:  [@DingoelGringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DingoelGringo)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/15 "2014-08-31T22:49:46Z")
Why aren’t the doves as deserving of your free food as the finches?
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### Author:  [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/16 "2014-08-31T23:18:44Z")
> [@DingoelGringo](#):
>
> Why aren’t the doves as deserving of your free food as the finches?
First, I APOLOGIZE from the bottom of my heart for ANY INSULT, none intended.
Second, we were using a net bag and I went out and spent a lot of money for a proper finch feeder.
Third, there is already a ton of nyger seed on the ground under this feeder and I am astonished the mourning doves are eating off this new expensive feeder. We have a tray feeder on the deck 10 feet away, and the mourning doves are a permanent fixture on that, and underneath it, too. There is PLENTY of seed, and sunflower seed, and peanuts, to go around. We have squirrels and many many birds all year round.
I don’t care if there are mourning doves eating there, but I bought the expensive finch feeder just for nyger seed for the goldfinches. Who aren’t getting any.
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### Author:  [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2014, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/17 "2014-08-31T23:25:24Z")
> [@wolfpup](#):
>
> Yep, there it is in the list of protected species:
> DOVE, Mourning, _Zenaida macroura_
>
> Thanks for pointing that out. I love the sound of mourning doves, though I rarely actually see them. If the OP is interested in a feeder for finches and other small birds that is inaccessible to the doves, I would suggest a separate feeder for the doves, too.
But the doves don’t know there is a separate feeder for them! I could put up 10feeders and they would be at all 10! We have lots of bird seed on the deck for all birds (and rabbits and squirrels and the occasional skunk).
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### Author:  [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2014, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/18 "2014-09-01T02:14:49Z")
Knowing nothing of feeder design, but as a fan of doves (mine haven’t returned after abandoning a nest with freshly-laid eggs (been here 4 years) - can you just remove the rim? Could the finches still feed?
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### Author:  [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/19 "2014-09-01T02:30:30Z")
We’ll try removing the rim, or putting a piece of pvc pipe around the rim. I’ll think of SOMETHING. I’m surely bright enough to outwit a full-figured bird. I was hoping for some useful suggestions. So thanks for those.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2014, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-discourage-fat-moochers-mourning-doves/697072/20 "2014-09-03T07:33:11Z")
> [@Finagle](#):
>
> This is [illegal](http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/migtrea.html) as mourning doves are included in the[list of birds protected by the migratory bird treaty act.](http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/regulationspolicies/mbta/MBTANDX.HTML)
>
> Having pointed out that the advice is illegal, I guess I don’t also have to point out that it’s needlessly cruel as well.
Take it easy. It was a joke.
If I was serious, I would have said .22.
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