Well to start …. According to Webster's Dictionary they are "Any numerous pigeons, or a small wild pigeon" (Merriam-Webster, 2025). When most people think of a Dove, they more than likely do not think of a pigeon, like the ones seen on the streets of a city. However, Doves are part of the pigeon family, and are considered White Domestic Pigeons or The Rock Dove (Dove).
There are many different types of Doves and many are seen worldwide. For example the basic Rock Dove, The Turtle Dove, The Laughing Dove, The Quail Dove, The Stock Dove, The Spotted Dove, The Inca Dove, The Common Ground Dove, The White Tipped Dove, and The Mourning dove( Stonich, 2021, and The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2025) . Holy Moly who knew there were so many! All of these Doves have different characteristics that separate and define them individually. I am only Going to talk about the Doves we here at Life's Doves fancy, The Rock Dove. If you would like to learn more about the different types of Doves I would recommend navigating to the resources at the bottom of the page.
The Rock Dove, also known as the "Dove of Peace" or the Domestic Pigeon, are the most common type of Dove fancied (cared for by man). They have a long history as being used as messenger birds, as food, for racing birds, for show birds, and as laboratory animals (The information Architects of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2025). More commonly we see them on the city streets or buildings (colored Birds), or at funerals and weddings (The White dove).
They are small stubby short billed birds. They have long wings and are powerful flyers. They can find their way home very easily, as they have been known to fly anywhere from 50 - 200 miles away. These Doves like to live in parks, under bridges, around rocky cliffs, and basically anywhere food on the ground is easily accessible. They do not migrate like other birds and are found in North and South America. Their life span can range from 3 - 30 years depending on where they are living or if in captivity (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2025). They are fairly intelligent and can be trained in many different aspects such as flight distance, recognizing people, and recognizing themselves in a mirror (Stonich, 2021).
To conclude Doves are very intelligent and fun to watch birds. They can be found just about anywhere and can bring a sense of peace to anyone who spots them. Although doves can vary in color and size, at Life's Doves we have selectively bred our Doves to obtain special characteristics for them to be considered The White Dove.
To Learn More please see resources below:
Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (2025). Cornell Lab All about Birds; Rock Pigeon. Retrieved on May 6, 2025, from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Rock_Pigeon/overview
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica (2025). dove Related Content. Encyclopedia Britannica. retrieved May 6, 2025, From https://www.britannica.com/facts/dove-bird
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica (2025). domestic Pigeon. Encyclopedia Britannica. retrieved May 6, 2025, From https://www.britannica.com/animal/domestic-pigeon
Stonich, Kathryn. (2021). Pigeons and Doves of the United States: A Photo List of All Species. Retrieved May 6, 2025, from https://abcbirds.org/blog21/pigeons-doves-of-united-states/
Merriam-Webster. (2025). Dove. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved May 6, 2025, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dove