What's the difference?

[sjt]

What's the difference between a turtle dove, a dove, and a pigeon?

[Thunderbird]

A turtle dove is the common name given to ringneck or mourning doves, (depending where you are). Dove covers them all, (dove family). Pigeon is the forms from the wild rock dove.
Chris

[sjt]

Thank you. So basically all pigeons are doves? I always thought a dove was only a pure white pigeon. I think if all pigeons are doves people should call them doves because dove brings are very romantic, gentle, beautiful picture to mind, but people sometimes consider pigeons as pests. If everyone knew pigeons were doves then maybe they would not consider such beautiful creatures as pests. When I was trying to find info. about the pigeons in my tree I was shocked to find many of the listings under "pigeon" were on how to get rid of them. What a shame!!!

[John_D]

Scientifically, there is no distinction between the terms 'pigeon' and 'dove' - they are all of the same general family of birds. There is often confusion about ceremonially releasing 'white doves' which are as often as not white homing pigeons.

Some species are traditionally known by their common names as one or the other. Dove is frequently used for the smaller species, though this is not always so - the Rock Dove is the ancestor of our feral and homing pigeons (but is also known as the Rock Pigeon) and is not particularly small.

Variations on 'Turtle Dove' is the common name (ie non-scientific name) given to a few species within the genus 'Streptopelia' which also includes the 'collared doves'. We have the European Turtle Dove here in the UK in the summer (asuming they don't get shot whilst passing through some Mediterranean countries en route!).

I note from my reading you have some Green Pigeons in Japan!

John

[sjt]

A green pigeon must be gorgeous! I will have to pay more attention when I go out because I don't recall ever seeing one, but I have seen beautiful red ones! I am not a bird watcher and I live in a small town where we really don't have pigeons but when I go to a larger town's park, I normally just see regular pigeons with different color variations, but now that my Lovie and Dovie have come, I will definately take more notice of pigeons in the future so maybe I will see a green one.