Pigeon beside Weiming Lake, Peking University
(2002)
Pigeons and doves are some 300
species of
near passerine
birds in the order
Columbiformes. In general parlance the terms "dove" and
"pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably. In
ornithological practice there is a tendency for "dove" to be
used for smaller species and "pigeon" for larger ones, but
this is in no way consistently applied, and historically the
common names for these birds involve much variation
between "dove" and "pigeon".
The species commonly referred to just as the "pigeon" is
the
feral
Rock Pigeon, common in many cities.
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks
and short slender bills with a fleshy
cere.
The usually flimsy nests are made of sticks, and the two
white
eggs are incubated by both sexes. Doves feed on seeds,
fruit and other soft plantstuff. Unlike most other birds,
(but see flamingo), the doves and pigeons produce "crop
milk", which is secreted by a sloughing of fluid-filled
cells from the lining of the crop. Both sexes produce this highly nutritious
substance to feed to the young.
This family occurs worldwide, but the greatest variety is
in the Indomalaya and Australasia ecozones. It is related to
the extinct dodo. The young doves and pigeons are called "squabs".
The family is usually divided into five subfamilies, but
this is probably inaccurate. For example, the American
ground and quail doves which are usually placed in the
Columbinae seem to be two distinct subfamilies[1].
The order presented here follows Baptista et al.
(1997) with some updates (Johnson & Clayton, 2000; Johnson
et al., 2001; Shapiro et al., 2002)...
Note that the arrangement of genera and naming of
subfamilies is in some cases provisional because analyses of
different DNA sequences yield results that differ, often
radically, in the placement of certain (mainly
Indo-Australian) genera. This ambiguity, probably caused by
Long branch attraction, on the other hand seems to
confirm that the first pigeons evolved in the Australasian
region, and that the "Treronidae" and allied forms (crowned
and pheasant pigeons, for example) represent the earliest
radiation of the group.
Exacerbating these issues, columbids are not well
represented in the fossil record. No really primitive forms
have been found to date. The genus Gerandia which most
likely belongs to the Columbinae has been described from
Early Miocene deposits of France. Apart from that, all other fossils belong to
extant genera. For these, and for the considerable number of
more recently extinct prehistoric species, see the
respective genus accounts.
Subfamily Columbinae - typical
pigeons & doves
A feral pigeon Columba livia domestica in
a city park.
Victoria Crowned Pigeon Goura victoria
in a zoo aviary.
Genus
Goura
Western Crowned Pigeon, Goura cristata
Southern Crowned Pigeon, Goura scheepmakeri
Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Goura victoria
Subfamily N.N. ("Treroninae") -
green and fruit doves and imperial pigeons
Genus
Ducula (imperial pigeons)
Chestnut-naped Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea
paulina. Other names for this bird are
Celebes Imperial Pigeon, Celebes Green Imperial
Pigeon and
Green Imperial Pigeon.
Kererū, New Zealand Pigeon, Hemiphaga
novaeseelandiae.
Genus Hemiphaga
New Zealand Pigeon, Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae
Genus Cryptophaps
Sombre Pigeon, Cryptophaps poecilorrhoa
Genus
Gymnophaps (mountain pigeons)
Papuan Mountain Pigeon, Gymnophaps albertisii
Long-tailed Mountain Pigeon, Gymnophaps mada
Pale Mountain Pigeon, Gymnophaps solomonensis
Genus
Ptilinopus (fruit doves)
Black-backed Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus cinctus
Black-banded Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus alligator
Red-naped Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus dohertyi
Pink-headed Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus porphyreus
Flame-breasted Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus marchei
Cream-bellied Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus merrilli
Yellow-breasted Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus occipitalis
Red-eared Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus fischeri
Jambu Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus jambu
Maroon-chinned Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus subgularis
Black-chinned Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus leclancheri
Scarlet-breasted Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus bernsteinii
Wompoo Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus magnificus
Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus perlatus
Ornate Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus ornatus
Tanna Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus tannensis
Orange-fronted Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus aurantiifrons
Wallace's Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus wallacii
Superb Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus superbus
Many-coloured Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus perousii
Purple-capped Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus porphyraceus
Palau Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus pelewensis
Rarotonga Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus rarotongensis
Mariana Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus roseicapilla
Rose-crowned Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus regina
Silver-capped Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus richardsii
Grey-green Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus purpuratus
Makatea Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus chalcurus
Atoll Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus coralensis
Red-bellied Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus greyii
Rapa Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus huttoni
White-capped Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus dupetithouarsii
Male
Pink-headed Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus
porphyreus
Red-moustached Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus mercierii
(extinct)
Henderson Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus insularis
Coroneted Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus coronulatus
Beautiful Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus pulchellus
Blue-capped Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus monacha
White-bibbed Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus rivoli
Yellow-bibbed Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus solomonensis
Claret-breasted Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus viridis
White-headed Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus eugeniae
Orange-bellied Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus iozonus
Knob-billed Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus insolitus
Grey-headed Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus hyogaster
Carunculated Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus granulifrons
Black-naped Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus melanospila
Dwarf Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus nanus
Negros Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus arcanus (possibly extinct)
Orange Dove, Ptilinopus victor
Golden Dove, Ptilinopus luteovirens
Whistling Dove, Ptilinopus layardi
Genus Natunaornis
Viti Levu Giant Pigeon, Natunaornis gigoura (prehistoric)
Genus Drepanoptila
Cloven-feathered Dove, Drepanoptila holosericea
Genus
Alectroenas (blue pigeons)
Madagascar Blue Pigeon, Alectroenas madagascariensis
Comoro Blue Pigeon, Alectroenas sganzini
Seychelles Blue Pigeon, Alectroenas pulcherrima
Farquhar Blue Pigeon, Alectroenas sp. (extinct)
Mauritius Blue Pigeon, Alectroenas nitidissima (extinct)
Rodrigues Pigeon "Alectroenas" rodericana (extinct;
probably distinct genus)
Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon, Treron fulvicollis
Little Green Pigeon, Treron olax
Pink-necked Green Pigeon, Treron vernans
Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Treron bicincta
Pompadour Green Pigeon, Treron pompadora
Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Treron curvirostra
Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Treron griseicauda
Sumba Green Pigeon, Treron teysmannii
Flores Green Pigeon, Treron floris
Timor Green Pigeon, Treron psittacea
Large Green Pigeon, Treron capellei
Yellow-footed Green Pigeon, Treron phoenicoptera
Bruce's Green Pigeon, Treron waalia
Madagascar Green Pigeon, Treron australis
African Green Pigeon, Treron calva
Pemba Green Pigeon, Treron pembaensis
Sao Tome Green Pigeon, Treron sanctithomae
Pin-tailed Green Pigeon, Treron apicauda
Sumatran Green Pigeon, Treron oxyura
Yellow-vented Green Pigeon, Treron seimundi
Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Treron sphenura
White-bellied Green Pigeon, Treron sieboldii
Whistling Green Pigeon, Treron formosae
Genus
Phapitreron (brown doves)
White-eared Brown Dove, Phapitreron leucotis
Amethyst Brown Dove, Phapitreron amethystina
Dark-eared Brown Dove, Phapitreron cinereiceps
Wonga Pigeon, Leucosarcia melanoleuca,
native to Australia.
St Helena Flightless Pigeon, Dysmoropelia
dekarchiskos (extinct)
Genus indeterminate
Henderson Island Archaic Pigeon, Columbidae gen. et
sp. indet. (prehistoric)
Symbolism
White doves, usually meaning domesticated
Rock Pigeons, are a traditional
Christian and Jewish symbol of love and peace. According
to the biblical story, a dove was released by Noah after
the flood in order to find land; it came back carrying
an olive branch, telling Noah that, somewhere, there was
land. A dove with an olive branch has since then come to
symbolize peace. In Christian iconography, a dove also
symbolizes the Holy Spirit, in reference to Matthew 3:16
and Luke 3:22 where the Holy Spirit appeared as a dove
at the Baptism of Jesus.
Doves or other birds are sometimes released at
Christian
weddings. It should be noted that these birds,
unless they are trained homing pigeons, cannot survive
in the wild and will either starve to death or be easy
prey for predators.
Doves are often associated with the concept of peace
and pacifism. They often appear in political cartoons,
on banners and signs at events promoting peace (such as
the Olympic games, at various anti-war/anti-violence
protests, etc.), and in pacifist literature. A person
who is a pacifist is sometimes referred to as a dove
(similarly, in American politics, a person who advocates the use of
military resources as opposed to diplomacy can be
referred to as a
hawk).
Ironically, although sometimes ungratefully
considered "pests" in big cities, common pigeons or Rock
Pigeons have served humans in times of war as war
pigeons, and have even been awarded war medals to honour
their services to humanity. These include the homing
pigeon, Cher Ami, who received the French Croix de
guerre for services during wartime, and who is now
enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution, and G.I. Joe,
who received the Dickin Medal for his role in preventing the bombing
of an Italian village of over 1,000 people.
Doves as food
Several species of pigeon or dove are used as food, and
probably any could be; the powerful breast muscles
characteristic of the family make excellent meat. In Europe
the
Wood Pigeon is commonly shot as a game bird, while
Rock Pigeons were originally domesticated as a food
species, and many breeds were developed for their
meat-bearing qualities. The extinction of the
Passenger Pigeon was at least partly due to shooting for
use as food.
Doves are
Kosher, and they and Turtle Doves are the only birds that
may be used for a Korban. Other Kosher birds may be eaten, but not brought
as a Korban.
Trivia
A traditional pigeonhouse in Meybod, Yazd, Iran.
Doves can be trained and often are utilized in
tricks and animal acts by magicians and showmen.
In the United States, "dove" is sometimes used as a
street name for
cocaine. Ecstasy pills are also sometimes referred to as
"doves", due to a well-known "brand" of pills featuring
an embossed dove.
Dove is a brand of American ice cream; their "Dove
Bar", featuring a vanilla ice cream filling with a thin
chocolate coating, is particularly well known.
Dove is also a brand of soaps, deodorants skin care and
hair care products, manufactured by Unilever.
A "pigeon" is an English slang word to refer to an
uneducated, naive, or unsophisticated person: one that
is easily deceived or cheated by underhanded means. To
be referred to as a "pigeon" or a "dupe" suggests
unwariness in the person deluded — especially used in
the slang language of gambling. Etymology: from Middle
French duppe.
External links
columbidae.org.uk - an online resource for the
conservation of pigeons and doves
Baptista, L. F.; Trail, P. W. & Horblit, H. M.
(1997): Order Columbiformes. In: del Hoyo, J.;
Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. (editors): Handbook of
birds of the world, Volume 4: Sandgrouse to Cuckoos.
Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
ISBN 84-87334-22-9
Johnson, Kevin P. & Clayton, Dale H. (2000): Nuclear
and Mitochondrial Genes Contain Similar Phylogenetic.
Signal for Pigeons and Doves (Aves: Columbiformes).
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution14(1):
141–151.
PDF fulltext
Johnson, Kevin P.; de Kort, Selvino; Dinwoodey,
Karen, Mateman, A. C.; ten Cate, Carel; Lessells, C. M.
& Clayton, Dale H. (2001): A molecular phylogeny of the
dove genera Streptopelia and Columba.
Auk 118(4): 874-887.
PDF fulltext
Shapiro, Beth; Sibthorpe, Dean; Rambaut, Andrew;
Austin, Jeremy; Wragg, Graham M.; Bininda-Emonds, Olaf
R. P.; Lee, Patricia L. M. & Cooper, Alan (2002): Flight
of the Dodo.
Science295: 1683.
DOI:10.1126/science.295.5560.1683
(HTML abstract)
Supplementary information
Footnotes
^
Basically, the conventional treatment had 2 large
subfamilies, one for the fruit-doves, imperial pigeons
and fruit-pigeons, and another for nearly all of the
remaining species. Additionally, there were 3
monotypic subfamilies, one each for the genera
Goura, Otidiphaps and Didunculus. The
old subfamily Columbinae consists of 5 distinct
lineages, whereas the other 4 groups are more or less
accurate representations of the evolutionary
relationships.
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