Where doves go to die

Our world has changed a lot over the years. Technology has become very advanced; so much so that a great deal is instantly possible in our modern day. We live in bigger houses, we use more electricity, we drive fancier and faster cars and we cut down more trees.

Has it ever occurred to you that the animals around us might also have evolved in their behavior? I am thinking of the birds that sing in our gardens, the pets in our homes, the ducks on the ponds in our neighborhoods...

This thought occurred to me for the first time roughly two weeks prior to writing this blog. Driving into my driveway, arriving home, I noticed a turtle dove (a wild dove – not a pet) sitting in the way. I almost ran him over (but I didn’t). He was supposed to take to flight... to escape an awful fate such as being run over by a car, but he didn’t. He didn’t try to get to safety... I thought he might have been hurt. I stopped and went over to see what was the matter. He didn’t try to escape. I touched him... he didn’t try to escape... Instead he climbed into my hand...

I have a parrot as a pet; I love birds. Over the years I’ve learned a few things, so I wanted to see if he maybe had an injured wing. He didn’t. But still he didn’t try to escape... I put food and water down for him and he wouldn’t eat. Then it dawned on me: he was busy dying and he knew it. As soon as I put him down he crawled into a corner in my living room. He let me stroke him, but he just sat there. I sat with him and I cried... I know it is nature, but it broke my heart...

Later on I had to be out of the room for a bit and when I got back he was dead... right there in the corner... so I buried him in the garden amongst the leaves... I felt that he died with dignity. It was a better way to go than being squashed under the tyre of some car, or do we call that “nature” nowadays...?

Is it possible that they’ve caught on that if you want to die you can just sit in the middle of the road and something will run you over at some time or another? Are they “using” modern day developments to also execute “nature”...?

Then, just a week ago I was driving down my street and there was another one sitting in the road under, what would be, the left tyre of a car driving by... perfectly positioned... to be run over... I drove by and he also didn’t make any attempt to escape to safety.

“Suicide” or “nature”...? I’m assuming he was also waiting for death by car..