Is this a Dove or Pigeon?

Curnow

Crowing
8 Years
Mar 27, 2015
314
488
262
Breckenridge, Missouri
We recently had this beautiful white bird with red eyes and legs show up at our farm. It was hanging around and eating chicken feed and corn I throw out in the driveway for them to peck at. It can't fly and I watched it walk down to an old shed and followed it. I was able to catch it fairly easily. I have kept it in a large dog kennel for about 2 weeks and it's still unable to fly. I let it go and it walks around the yard and hangs fairly close by and in and out of barns etc.
It jumps and flaps...but nothing further. We do have both wild pigeons and doves around. I don't mind giving it an indoor home to keep it safe from predators, but would like to verify if it's a Pigeon or Dove so I can get it a friend, as I have read they are very social. It eats well and coos at night and turns and dances on the branch I gave it. Please help me identify which it is. It has no banding. You can't tell in the picture, but it's eyes look red not black. We call it Damian because of the eyes. I called Stromberg Hatchery about getting a friend, when I described it's behavior she said it's a male. We have about 200 free range chickens of all ages, but this type of bird is new to us. We just want to help it have a good life and not be eaten!

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We recently had this beautiful white bird with red eyes and legs show up at our farm. It was hanging around and eating chicken feed and corn I throw out in the driveway for them to peck at. It can't fly and I watched it walk down to an old shed and followed it. I was able to catch it fairly easily. I have kept it in a large dog kennel for about 2 weeks and it's still unable to fly. I let it go and it walks around the yard and hangs fairly close by and in and out of barns etc.
It jumps and flaps...but nothing further. We do have both wild pigeons and doves around. I don't mind giving it an indoor home to keep it safe from predators, but would like to verify if it's a Pigeon or Dove so I can get it a friend, as I have read they are very social. It eats well and coos at night and turns and dances on the branch I gave it. Please help me identify which it is. It has no banding. You can't tell in the picture, but it's eyes look red not black. We call it Damian because of the eyes. I called Stromberg Hatchery about getting a friend, when I described it's behavior she said it's a male. We have about 200 free range chickens of all ages, but this type of bird is new to us. We just want to help it have a good life and not be eaten!

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Not an expert but it looks like a dove to me.
 
It's a pigeon - likely a 'wedding' release bird. It may have been injured in a hawk attack if it is unable to fly.
That's what I suspected. I've recently lost 5 younger chickens to a Coopers Hawk. That hawk is brave and has swooped under my porch after birds. I also have an owl hanging out between my coop and barns. Ugh!
I feel bad for the little guy. Hope we can give it a happy life. I don't like to cage birds, but I also don't want him to be a quick easy meal for something.
Thanks for your response.
 
We had a fantail pigeon 'fall into our laps' so to speak about 7 years ago. It had been hanging around a neighbor's tree/house for days. They caught it, put out the word to the community board, and nobody claimed it. We took it, and the hubby built a flight cage. It's been happily residing in the daughter's room. (She bought a flight suit- https://www.chewy.com/avian-fashions-featherwear-flightsuit/dp/352015 -for it, and it hangs out with her all the time. It's hilarious! It sits on her shoulder during zoom regional meetings with her job - total hoot!

I prefer birds to live as naturally as possible, also. In this case, it was going to be a meal for a hawk, or a pet in the house. -seems to be the happiest little thing in the world.

Best of luck with your bird!
 
I'm not sure if it is always the case, but sometimes the white "doves" that are released at wedding are actually pigeons. Sorry I'm not knowledgeable enough to say which one this is.
 

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