Guys Arrange A Virtual Dinner Party To Teach Baby Dove How To Eat

"It feels really good to help her out" ❤️🕊️

The other day, Scot Kelly and Ben Page were out for a walk when they happened upon a young dove on the ground who seemed too weak to fly.

She needed help — and fortunately for her, the right people had come along.

“We looked around to see if we could spot a nest or other doves and didn't have any luck,” Ben told The Dodo. “So we carried her home.”

Ben Page

Scot and Ben had successfully rescued and rehabilitated a dove before, so they had an aviary and bird formula already at home. But this new patient soon proved more challenging than the last one.

When it came time to eat, the dove didn't seem to know how. 

“She wasn't catching on,” Ben said. “Scot had to feed her by sticking a syringe in her mouth. Both Scot and the dove hated it, but it was necessary.”

But then Scot had a brilliant idea.

Suspecting that the bird, whom they named Ms. Patootie, would benefit from seeing other doves eating, Scot arranged a virtual dinner party — loading up an online video of doves at mealtime.

“He put the phone down along with some seeds in front of Ms. Patootie, and within a minute she started pecking at the seeds,” Page said.

Here’s footage of Ms. Patootie (and her new friends) in action:

With that virtual company, the dove is eating normally — regaining her much-needed strength.

“We were thrilled! Relieved! We had been worried,” Page said. “Force-feeding is no fun either. It's amazing seeing her learn.”

Things are now looking up for Ms. Patootie.

Ben Page

Each day, thanks to those feedings, the dove moves one step closer to a normal life outdoors — where her virtual bird friends can be replaced by real ones.

In the meantime, her body is recovering. And her heart is, too.

"She seems very upbeat. I actually think it will make it easier to release her back into the wild," Scot told The Dodo. "It feels really good to help her out."