# Is this really a white dove?? *pics*



## nokare (Apr 22, 2011)

Hi, I am new to this forum. This white bird came to my house for 3 days straight on evening. I took at least 20 pics of it. This bird isn't afraid of me. The bird just walking around on balcony. The bird can fly and come back here. I don't think the bird is injury. Anyway, Heres two pics, for now. If you want more pics, I will be glad to post more pics. I thought its a beautiful bird(dove??) Is it a regular pigeon or a white dove? Sorry, I don't know much about bird.


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## Pip Logan (Oct 6, 2009)

Beautiful pigeon.


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## nokare (Apr 22, 2011)

Thanks for quick reply. Is pigeon and dove the same thing?


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

That is a white pigeon. It looks healthy and clean so it is probably someone else's pet.

Pigeon and dove is of the same family. Dove's are usually smaller.


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## chinbunny (Mar 1, 2010)

No doves are smaller.that looks like a white homing pigeon. You can keep it if you can catch it, since its doesn't have a band on its legs. If it stays around, that is.


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## rpalmer (Mar 10, 2011)

chinbunny said:


> No doves are smaller.that looks like a white homing pigeon. You can keep it if you can catch it, since its doesn't have a band on its legs. If it stays around, that is.


It might have babies some place. Enjoy it's beauty but don't catch it. There are white pigeons for sale at a lot of places if you want one or two.


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## TylerBro (Mar 14, 2011)

Yeah it might have babys the best way is to friend the bird with food and treats .. and it just might stick around .


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

That is such a beautiful white pigeon............a real beauty !!!!


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## FrillbackLover (Mar 18, 2011)

technically pigeons and doves r the same thing, but a dove is usually refered to be smaller in most cases


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## chayi (May 1, 2010)

very nice looking pigeon do you keep birds? if not you can still feed it and it will stay near your home


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

FrillbackLover said:


> technically pigeons and doves r the same thing, but a dove is usually refered to be smaller in most cases


I'm not so sure we can make that statement. They are related, but are not "the same". no cross breeding between dove species and pigeons.

Although I think your point is that pigeons are sometimes called doves (whites in particular) and that doves are sometimes called pigeons.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

That is a white Utility King. It needs to be caught and rehomed before it gets killed! More than likely it doesn't have babies. Usually only flying breeds successful integrate into the feral flocks. Tons of Kings are released and "saved" from the meat market only to meet their fate in the wild.


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## mb5322 (May 10, 2009)

All doves and pigeons originate from the Rock Dove, so technically they are all in the same family, my guess is the bird was used for a "release" of some sort and either wasn't trained properly or just lost it's way home, I would put out some food and water to help it get it's strength back then it will either stay with you or continue on it's way home.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

All domestic pigeons do, but not doves  Ringneck doves, Diamond Doves, etc are completely different species. But all of our pigeons are C. livia (domestica for ferals/domestics) - Rock Doves. There are other species of pigeons too like Band-tailed Pigeons and Woodies. All pigeons and doves are Columbiformes though.


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## mb5322 (May 10, 2009)

And by the way I agree with mary after looking at the pics again, it's a utility king, I'm guessing someone used it as a release bird and it has no idea how to fend for itself now, so feed and water the poor thing.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

I thought it was a King Pigeon too! Too stocky for a Homer. He should be caught, not going to survive in the wild, by himself, very long  King Pigeons are a domestic breed, not wild.


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## PigeonVilla (Dec 8, 2010)

MaryOfExeter said:


> All domestic pigeons do, but not doves  Ringneck doves, Diamond Doves, etc are completely different species. But all of our pigeons are C. livia (domestica for ferals/domestics) - Rock Doves. There are other species of pigeons too like Band-tailed Pigeons and Woodies. All pigeons and doves are Columbiformes though.


 Isnt it amazing how little even most pigeon people know about the difference between doves and pigeons or homers and kings  All the advice people like to give when they dont even have a clue that this bird obviously isnt wild and most likely doesnt have offspring somewhere close by unless its in some loft which it will never find due to the fact that it is not banded and doesnt have any homing ability. Catch it and keep it or please do find it a home because it surely wont live long out in the wild .No offense but please dont offer advice when when you dont even know that pigeons and doves are totally different species .


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## chinbunny (Mar 1, 2010)

rpalmer said:


> It might have babies some place. Enjoy it's beauty but don't catch it. There are white pigeons for sale at a lot of places if you want one or two.


Im gonna agree with mary, and everyone else on this, probably not. Esp if its a domestic bred bird. If it had a mate and babies in a loft somewhere, it would stay near them. ist not wild. It needs to be caught. The op could advertise in the local paper to see it anyone is missing a bird. Otherwise keep it. & no pigeons and doves are two different species.


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## chinbunny (Mar 1, 2010)

PigeonVilla said:


> Isnt it amazing how little even most pigeon people know about the difference between doves and pigeons or homers and kings  All the advice people like to give when they dont even have a clue that this bird obviously isnt wild and most likely doesnt have offspring somewhere close by unless its in some loft which it will never find due to the fact that it is not banded and doesnt have any homing ability. Catch it and keep it or please do find it a home because it surely wont live long out in the wild .No offense but please dont offer advice when when you dont even know that pigeons and doves are totally different species .


Homer was just a guess. it could be a king.


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## nokare (Apr 22, 2011)

TylerBro said:


> Yeah it might have babys the best way is to friend the bird with food and treats .. and it just might stick around .


Yeah I am feeding that bird. What kind of treats? Can I get that at pet mart?


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## chinbunny (Mar 1, 2010)

See if they have some pigeon and dove food


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## nokare (Apr 22, 2011)

whytwings said:


> That is such a beautiful white pigeon............a real beauty !!!!


Thanks! It's such a clean pigeon! No dirt on that pigeon. After read this thread, it might belong to someone's... I am not sure whether to catch it and build a loft. I'll wait for a while and see if it still here around.


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## nokare (Apr 22, 2011)

chayi said:


> very nice looking pigeon do you keep birds? if not you can still feed it and it will stay near your home


No I don't keep any kind of birds but this white pigeon has really caught my attention. I think I have become a friend to this pigeon.


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## PigeonVilla (Dec 8, 2010)

nokare said:


> No I don't keep any kind of birds but this white pigeon has really caught my attention. I think I have become a friend to this pigeon.


Catch it and keep and it find it a mate when you know what sex it is and Im sure it will stay with you fpr as long as you feed it and keep it safe .


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## nokare (Apr 22, 2011)

MaryOfExeter said:


> That is a white Utility King. It needs to be caught and rehomed before it gets killed! More than likely it doesn't have babies. Usually only flying breeds successful integrate into the feral flocks. Tons of Kings are released and "saved" from the meat market only to meet their fate in the wild.


White Utility King? Wow. I google'd it and not very much information but thanks for telling me what exactly pigeon it is.


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## chinbunny (Mar 1, 2010)

nokare said:


> Thanks! It's such a clean pigeon! No dirt on that pigeon. After read this thread, it might belong to someone's... I am not sure whether to catch it and build a loft. I'll wait for a while and see if it still here around.


Catch it, or else something else will,and it won't survive long. Run an add in the paper to see if someone is missing a bird, like I suggested above.


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

I really think you should try and intice him into your care .....I agree and don't think he is safe until he's caught , you can sort out the ownership after you catch him and go from there ........if he's unbanded I think it will be difficult to find the owner , but you just never know !

Good Luck


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## FrillbackLover (Mar 18, 2011)

mb5322 said:


> All doves and pigeons originate from the Rock Dove, so technically they are all in the same family, my guess is the bird was used for a "release" of some sort and either wasn't trained properly or just lost it's way home, I would put out some food and water to help it get it's strength back then it will either stay with you or continue on it's way home.


I agree with mary, not everything is related to the rock dove, only our domestic pigeons


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## hankabus (Dec 3, 2009)

hi all
I was looking at the pic and Becky could be right it could very well be a king. It looks to me like a young white homer very well fed....non the less looks to be in fine condition

Hank


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## Kiko&Kalani (Aug 10, 2010)

What a beauty. 
If you haven't already, put out a small bowl of fresh water out for it to drink. They dip their beak in and suck water like a we do through a straw, so the water should be at least 2 inches deep. The water should be changed out each day. If you want to step that up a bit to benifit the bird, there are a couple of things you can add to the water to aid the bird. 1) A few drops of Apple Cider Vinagar (ACV) to help fight off bacteria a couple times a week. 2)There are vitamin drops you can buy at the store (walmart, pet stores etc.) that costs about $1.50 that you can add a couple times a week. 3) If the bird looks tired you could had some honey or sugar to the water for the first couple days (then stop with the sweet stuff and start with fresh water alternating with AVC and vitamin drops. 

Also (again if you have't already) put some feed out for him/her. You can buy a bag of mixed seeds anywhere. To that, I add barely pearls, green lentils and split peas (that I buy at the supermarket). Pigeons are grain eaters so no meats. They do eat veggies (as babies mine loved corn and peas, I'd buy frozen and just unthaw under warm water until room temp). Mine love raw, unsalted sunflower hearts as a treat. Some love unsalted raw peanut pieces as treats too. The treats will help you get the bird to get used to your hand as a good thing and not something to fear. 

You can give it some shelter if you want. They typically do not like to sleep on the ground/floor so if you can maybe get a box(doesn't have to be big, around the size of a milk crate is good), turn it on its side, put some newspaper in the bottom and place it somewhere up off the floor that would be nice. 

I sure hope this beauty finds a home with you. I never had birds before I found mine, so I had no idea how amazing they are to have around. You just can't help but fall in love fast. 

Good luck1


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## M Kurps (Mar 19, 2009)

chinbunny said:


> No doves are smaller.that looks like a white homing pigeon. You can keep it if you can catch it, since its doesn't have a band on its legs. If it stays around, that is.



I agree with chinbunny that that pigeon is a homer,looks like a young hen. Sorry but that is no utility/king pigeon.
Kurps


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## nokare (Apr 22, 2011)

Updated: It's gone. It hasn't come back here for a week now. I hope it goes to a new home.


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## loonecho (Feb 25, 2010)

MaryOfExeter said:


> That is a white Utility King. It needs to be caught and rehomed before it gets killed! More than likely it doesn't have babies. Usually only flying breeds successful integrate into the feral flocks. Tons of Kings are released and "saved" from the meat market only to meet their fate in the wild.


Hi Becky, I wish my eye was as keen as yours. What clues do you look for that helps you to identify this bird as a Utility King rather than a white homer? To my untrained eye I would have called it a white homer.Thanks.

Jim


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