Dove
- Simplified languages are at Pidgin
| Pigeons and Doves | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||||||||
| Feral Pigeon (Columba livia domestica) in flight | |||||||||||
| Scientific classification | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Subfamilies | |||||||||||
|
see article text |
|||||||||||
A dove is a kind of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae. The names pigeon and dove are often used both for the same meaning. However, there is a small difference. Doves have a smaller body, and they have longer tails. Sometimes, though, there can be exceptions. The domestic pigeon is frequently called the "rock dove". This bird is called the "dove of peace." Pigeons and doves both have thick bodies and short necks with short, narrow bills. They live in lots of places, but most of them are in places such as Indonesia and Australia. The young doves and pigeons are called "squabs." There are more than 300 species of doves. The nests of doves are usually made of sticks. Their two white eggs are incubated by both the male and the female parent. Doves feed on seeds, fruit and plants. Unlike most other birds, the doves and pigeons produce a type of milk. Both sexes have this kind of highly nutritious milk to feed to the young.[1]
[change] As a symbol
In Genesis, Noah let a white dove out from his ark to see if there was any land left after the flood. The dove came back with an olive branch. After seven days, he let it out again and this time it did not return. This showed that it had made its nest and decided to stay. Soon after, Noah came to land and got off his ark with the rest of the animals. released a white dove to find land after the flood. Because of this, a white dove with an olive branch in its beak means peace and love, and sometimes can symbolize the Holy Spirit or God.
[change] Other pages
[change] References
- ↑ "dove (bird) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia". britannica.com. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/170301/dove. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
