Pigeon vs. Dove

Difference Between Pigeon and Dove Pigeons and doves are pretty and cute looking little birds that are found…

Difference Between Pigeon and Dove

Pigeons and doves are pretty and cute looking little birds that are found in different parts of the world. They are soft and delicate, and hunted for food, but are also kept as pets in homes. Both fall under Columbidae family of birds. We often have heard the expression lovey-dovey and have also come across a definition that describes those people who oppose violence as doves. In general, people do not differentiate between these two types of birds and call the pigeon or dove, according to their notion. Yet there are differences between these two birds will be highlighted in this article.
In many cultures, the doves and pigeons have been bred as pets for thousands of years and also used as sacrifices to appease Gods. When there was no postal service, leave aside the Internet and SMS, pigeons were used to carry the message from one place to another. Today pigeons and doves have become a symbol of peace and released in groups in the air to celebrate a happy event.

Speaking of differences, the first thing you notice is the difference in the size of two birds. While doves are smaller with pointed tails, the pigeons are larger and have a tail curved tail. Both these creatures are very sweet and easy to rear as pet. They are friendly like pets and require very little care and maintenance.

There are wide variations in sizes of pigeons and doves. Crowned pigeons found in New Guinea are of course the biggest in the world (2-4kg) and the New World doves that look like hummingbirds (22 grams) are the smallest. Both pigeons as well as doves are found in almost all parts of the world and they seem to adapt to different conditions very easily.

As far as food is concerned, both the birds like to eat seeds and fruits which are their main food. However, there are some species such of dove like the ground and quail doves that hunt insects and worms.

In most of the religions, pigeons and doves are loved and respected and they have a special place. In Christianity, the dove came to represent the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Because of the people looking for food, some species of doves and pigeons have or are considered extinct or threatened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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