# difference between dove and a pigeon???



## aussiegirl (Feb 24, 2008)

I know, silly question but ive been asked, what do i tell them???
What is the difference if any?


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

aussiegirl said:


> *I know, silly question* but ive been asked, what do i tell them???
> 
> *What is the difference if any*?


Not a silly question at all.

Here's a link to a website explaining a little about each.
http://www.birdhobbyist.com/articles/BirdHobbyist/Species/DovesPigeons.html

Cindy


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## aussiegirl (Feb 24, 2008)

Thankyou for that, yes i must say that i have seen what was advertised as a dove and she was only 1/2 the size of my pidgeon. so that explains it, size and tail!!
Thanks.


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

I have to add that my doves tend to be less gruff and much more easy going than my pigeons. IMHO.


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## jbangelfish (Mar 22, 2008)

*pigeon and dove*

The birds that we all know as pigeons are direct decendants of the wild Rock Dove and all pigeons from these birds have the white powdery cere. Doves have a smooth flesh colored cere that is much less pronounced. Why we chose to call them pigeons when their ancestors were called doves, I don't know. 

That said, there are many wild breeds called pigeons such as the Wood Pigeons of Europe. They are very large and I would actually consider them to be a large dove but they didn't ask me when they named them. They are large enough to eat acorns.

The extinct Passenger Pigeon from the US was also large and looked nearly identical to a Mourning Dove but was over twice the size. Yet another that I would call a wild dove.

There is the Victoria Crowned Pigeon which is fairly unique among pigeons and doves. They are huge and I believe that they only lay one egg which adds to their uniqueness.
Whether to consider them a pigeon or dove, I don't know but it's already been decided anyway.

Most of the common aviary doves that we know are smaller than what we know as pigeons. The Ringneck Dove of Europe is probably the most common and is nearly pigeon sized but not quite. 

There are Zebra Doves, Cape Doves, Austrailian Crested Doves (one of the more pigeon sized ones) Diamond Doves which are very small. Maybe you get to see some of these Aussies in the wild. There are probably hundreds of wild dove species around the world and not as many with the name pigeon. Like I said, if it had been up to me, I would have called them all doves. Where was I when they needed me?

Bill


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

I believe that word pigeon is FRENCH and means DOVE. maybe someone that speaks French can clear this up for us .But I have aways looked at it as the word pigeon is French for dove. .GEORGE


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## jbangelfish (Mar 22, 2008)

*Pigeon is apparently slang for dove*

I looked it up in my dictionary and while not giving an origin, calls it a colloquialism (sp?) or slang for anything in the genus Columbidae. They also referred to the Rock Pigeon which is usually referred to as Rock Dove.

My grandfather was born in 1898 and always called pigeons doves. He wasn't French but Swedish, anyway, pigeon seems to be a newer term and in many cases has been used alternatively with dove to describe the same bird.

Bill


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## aussiegirl (Feb 24, 2008)

well now im suspecting that i have doves??? white powdery cere?
this is a very interesting discussion now!!!


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## jbangelfish (Mar 22, 2008)

*White cere or nose*

The nose or cere of what we know as pigeons will become white and powdery as they mature. It takes a few months for this to be complete. At this time, they will also have all of their irridescence, particularly in the neck feathers, which they lack as young birds.

Domestic pigeons come in all shapes and sizes from about 10 ounces for some like Chinese Owls and Budapest Highfliers to over 2 pounds for Hungarian Giant House Pigeons and Runts. The average domestic pigeon is somewhere in the 12 ounce to 16 ounce range, roughly the size of the original Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, whichever you prefer to call it.

Doves vary to an even greater degree and at least a couple of species have been domesticated to a point of having several different colors to choose from. The Ringneck Dove being the most common, has probably the most colors but the Diamond Dove is also available in many colors. I have also heard of more than one color for Zebra Doves, Cape Doves and Mourning Doves. There are probably more.

The smallest dove that I know of is the Diamond, about the size of a parakeet. I raised alot of them in just about every color and was always amazed at how fast the babies left the nest. By 10 days old, they were out and nearly able to fly.

Anyway, the powdery cere business is just like I make it sound. The nose is white and powdery in an adult domestic or feral pigeon. It will wipe off to some degree, so I call it powdery.

Can you post pictures of your birds? Maybe we can figure out what they are once and for all.

Bill


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## aussiegirl (Feb 24, 2008)

yes, certainly, ill check my pics, thanks!!!


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## aussiegirl (Feb 24, 2008)

sorry my batteries are flat in my camera and ive deleted my pics from my photobucket account. I do have a pic on one of my first threads.


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## aussiegirl (Feb 24, 2008)

here is the link to the pic on the thread:
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=25551


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## Guest (Apr 10, 2008)

pigeons for one thing are much bigger then a dove so its not all that hard to tell all you would have to do is buy a dove and a pigeon and you would see the difference right off  heres a comparison shot for you... this is a dove http://www.dovepage.com/species/domestic/Ringneck/colors/bulleyed-white.jpg
and this is a pigeon
http://birdsinwhite.com/myloft/a17_24.jpg
hope this helps, people just call their white pigeons doves because its more appealing for clients to hear then calling them pigeons . heres another link that explains their differences too http://members.aol.com/vmen121803/WhiteHomingPigeonsandDoves.html


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## jbangelfish (Mar 22, 2008)

*Fantails are pigeons*

I went to your other thread and saw the pic and that is some type of fantail pigeon. One of about 750 breeds of domestic pigeon.

Doves are typically smaller but not always.

Bill


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