All About Love Doves - White Dove Ceremony

Transcription

All About Love Doves
Pure White
Streptopelia risoria
Sandra van Riper
An Online E-Book
Presented by Beyond the Sidewalks
All Rights Reserved
© 2006
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Part I
All About Love Doves
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Welcome to the World of Doves
You are about to enter the World of Love Doves. This is an exciting adventure
that you are beginning, and your life will change just a bit -- for the better -- with
these wonderful, beautiful winged creatures. The soothing cooing will charm you
as you tend to them and watch them, and if you choose to keep and breed them,
the awkward babies will transform into elegance personified before your eyes.
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us, and send any
suggestions you may have to improve this E-Book. The information on these
pages is from my 30+ years of experience raising a variety of avian species and
my formal training with a Master of Science degree in ornithology, many books
and other sources of written information including many websites, and numerous
discussions with devoted "Bird People". There is a reference page listing my
sources and other general dove references for further study. If you want to
expand your knowledge in any area, pursue it with the references listed.
In this E-Book, you will learn the basics of getting started with Love Doves. Who
is this little creature? What does it need to successfully breed and raise babies?
How big a cage will they need? What shall I feed my Love Doves? How do I
train them? Where do I get Love Doves?
We love feedback and personal stories about Love Doves and other doves too.
So please write back and let us know how you became interested in Love Doves
and how you are doing with your doves.
Enjoy this book and enjoy the doves!
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All About Doves
Wild Doves have been around for a long time—long before humans. Doves are
thought to have originated in southern Asia several million years ago. Compare
this to modern humans that first appeared about 120,000 years ago. There are
over 300 different species of Doves and Pigeons worldwide, mainly in the
tropics. They are found on every continent except Antartica, and they come in all
varieties and colors. Doves and Pigeons belong to the family of birds known as
Columbidae. Within the Columbidae there are many groups of "Genus", which
are types of doves that are somewhat closely related. Then each Genus is
divided into specific species. There are about 300+ species of doves and
pigeons worldwide.
This group of birds is very diverse and world wide. They may eat fruit or seeds,
live in tropical forests or dry deserts. They are a fascinating group. Often they
are considered Game Birds, and are hunted. Many species can be obtained to
raise in captivity and they are very popular cage birds. Beware of capturing wild
doves or keeping them in a cage however. A federal permit is usually required
for caging native species. Some species of doves and pigeons are endangered
and rare, and some have gone extinct – such as the famous Passenger Pigeon
of America. Doves are legendary and spoken of in the Bible, and are some of
the most beloved birds mankind knows.
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Genera of Doves in the World
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Data from the Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Alectroenas
• Leucosarcia
Aplopelia
• Lopholaimus
Caloenas -- nicobar pigeons
• Macropygia
Chalcophaps
• Metriopelia
Claravis
• Microgoura
Columba -- pigeons
• Ocyphaps
Columbina -- ground-doves
• Oena
Cryptophaps
• Otidiphaps
Didunculus
• Petrophassa
Drepanoptila
• Phapitreron
Ducula -- pacific pigeons
• Phaps
Ectopistes -- passenger pigeons
• Ptilinopus -- fruit-doves
Gallicolumba -- island ground-doves
• Reinwardtoena
Geopelia -- zebra doves
• Scardafella
Geophaps
• Starnoenas
• Streptopelia -- turtle-doves, Love Doves
Geotrygon -- quail-doves
Goura
• Treron
Gymnophaps
• Trugon
Hemiphaga
• Turacoena
Henicophaps
• Turtur
Leptotila -- white-tipped doves
• Uropelia
• Zenaida -- zenaida doves
What is the difference between a Dove and a Pigeon?
You will hear about doves and pigeons, sometimes interchangeably. Sooner or
later, you will ask: What is the difference between a dove and a pigeon? The
answer is: “Nothing.” A pigeon is a dove. In fact, the common Pigeon that we
are all familiar with is actually called a “Rock Dove”. However, generally
speaking, members of the family Columbidae that are larger are called pigeons,
and members that are smaller to medium sized are called doves. But these
terms are applied interchangeably. Owing to their usually colorful plumage,
pigeons and doves are much prized by many bird-lovers.
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Where do Love Doves belong in the Animal
Kingdom?
Love Doves are a pure white variety of Ring-neck Doves, and they are medium
sized members of the Columbidae. They are also known as the Domestic
Doves, white Ring-neck Doves, Laughing Doves, Collared Doves, Barbary Doves
and Turtle Doves. Despite the many common names, the scientific name is
(Streptopelia risoria). These are the doves of the Bible, native to North Africa,
Somalia, and Arabia. These are the familiar doves of magicians. They are perfect
as a caged bird pet. These are NOT the release doves, but you may decide to
have a few pair to put in your display cages. They are quite tame and will be
more content to sit for longer periods of time "on display." They are smaller than
the release doves. They cannot ever be released as they will not return, and they
would not be able to survive in the wild. But they make wonderful pets and
companions. You can enjoy their babies and listen to their coos. The are indeed
"Love Doves"!
Taxonomic Hierarchy of Love Doves
Animalia -- Animals
Kingdom
Chordata -- chordates
Phylum
Subphylum
Vertebrata -- vertebrates
Aves -- birds
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Columbiformes -- doves, pigeons
Columbidae -- doves, pigeons
Streptopelia -- Turtle Doves
Streptopelia risoria (Linnaeus, 1758) -- Love Doves, Ringneck Doves
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Are You Ready For A Love Dove
Love Doves will add a great deal of life to anyone's life. Their coos will sooth
your troubles away. Just seeing their pure white feathers will make you feel
refreshed. And when the first baby arrives, you will rejoice! However, before you
run out and buy a Love Dove, be sure you are ready for the responsibility.
Ask yourself the following:
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Am I willing to take the time to care for and get to know the birds?
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Do I have a warm, draft free place for the cage?
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Do I have a cat/dog free environment for the bird or can I manage other
pets?
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Do I have time to clean the bird's cage and provide clean water, seed, and
grit?
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Will I be able take care of babies?
You may say... but I don't want to raise babies... I never recommend keeping just
one bird. They get lonely too. And if you have a pair, they will attempt to nest.
Two females are a good alternative, and 2 males may be compatible or they may
fight. A larger cage will usually help solve disputes. You can remove eggs and
not allow the babies if you have a pair. Decide these details before you get your
birds, and be ready to modify your goals.
It may not be possible to determine the sex when you buy your birds. Love
Doves are very difficult to sex before them become mature, so if you only get two
birds and really want a pair, you may have to get older birds that are already
breeding. They usually start breeding at 4 to 6 months of age.
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Are Love Doves the Right Choice?
This will depend on your goals. If you want to release your birds to fly free, there
is only one kind to get... some type of homing pigeon. White Release Doves
would be ideal. If you want a companion that will tame down and allow you to
handle it, then Love Doves are right. If you want a beautiful white dove to
symbolize peace, love, happiness -- then Love Doves are right. If you are a
beginner to keeping birds, Love Doves are a great choice. Their needs are few
and they are quite adaptable. If you want to train your dove to sit on your hand,
Love Doves will become gentle very quickly.
Where To Obtain Birds may be a problem. Pet stores often have birds but I
recommend that you obtain your birds from reputable breeders. The internet is a
good place to look for listings of these breeders. Contact White Dove Ceremony
at www.whitedoveceremony.com for more information.
Sexing Love Doves:
In general, to sex a dove just look for the male to be bowing and cooing. The
male will select a nest site and sit there and quiver his wings and coo. They will
coo to anyone because this is a dominance display also, so don't assume that
because a male is cooing to another bird, that the other is bird is a female. If
your bird lays an egg, it is a female.
When you purchase a Love dove, there are several things to watch for:
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Appearance: If you can, observe the bird of interest from a distance
before it is frightened by your approach. Does it appear healthy, happy,
and well fed? Is the bird's profile smooth and without any unnatural lumps
or bumps? When you approach the bird, does it fly from perch to perch or
get off the cage floor and walk around? Does it appear alert and even
excited?
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Feathers: Are their feathers smooth and tight or does the bird fluffed up
and appear cold and sick? Do the feathers show signs of severe pecking?
This could be caused by the bird pecking at irritations caused by various
parasites. You can open the wing and hold it up to the light to check for
parasites. You should open the feathers in a number of locations and look
at the skin for signs of parasite irritation. Are the wing feather tips intact or
are the badly broken? Is the bird molting? If the birds were shipped, they
may have become stained in the box. You can gently clean the feathers
with a warm wet paper towel.
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Vent area: Check the feathers around the vent. They should be clean
and dry. If the feathers are green or covered with white residue the bird
has an intestinal problem and should probably not be purchased.
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Stools: Check the droppings on the bottom of the cage. They should be
dry and solid. Green stools are an indication of a sick bird.
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Breast Bone: Birds that are sick will have a reduced ability to feed and
will thus loose weight as the bird’s high metabolism will convert the chest
muscle to energy. This reduction of muscle mass will make the chest or
keel bone more prominent. Thus birds with a prominent keel bone should
probably not be purchased.
Be sure to place your bird in an isolated area when you first bring it home.
It should be a low traffic location that is quiet and far from loud noises. Check the
birds for parasites by examining the feathers, and when you are sure that your
bird is healthy, eating and drinking well, then you can introduce it to your aviary.
If you bird is sitting fluffed up in the corner of the cage, this indicates that it does
not feel well. Provide warmth, lots of food and fresh water and possibly
medication.
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Housing for Love Doves
Cages are important for the
success of your Love Dove project. If
you are lucky enough to own one of
these delightful creatures, be sure to
house them in a cage that is large
enough. The absolute minimum size
for a pair of doves is about 18 inches
high wide and deep. They can just
wing fan for exercise in this space.
Of course, the bigger the better and I recommend a cage at least 3 feet wide, 18
inches deep and high for a pair. While there are many styles in many materials, a
1" x 2" welded wire mesh for the floor is often preferred. A good sized rabbit
hutch will make a very nice functional cage for a pair. You can make an entire
cage out of such wire also. Or you can purchase a variety of sufficient cages
from your local pet store.
Location is important too. Outdoor
aviaries should be located so that the birds
are sheltered from sun, wind and rain. If
you use plants inside, be sure they are nonpoisonous. Inside the house, select an area
that is not high in traffic. It should be in a
draft free location and if the sunlight shines
in, be sure the birds can get out of the sun if
they desire.
Environmental Concerns
Lights: In regards to light the best kind of a location for your birds is where their
cage receives a few hours of sunlight each day. Position your cage so that it is
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never completely in the sun. Shade should also be available. If you can not
provide sunlight for your birds, they appreciate a good light source. If you plan
on breeding your doves, the light should increase in the spring to start the
breeding cycle.
Drafts: Bird cages should be locates in an environment free from drafts from
open windows and doors, ceiling and floor fans, heating ducts, and air
conditioner ducts. Continual exposure to drafts will result in uncomfortable birds
especially during cooler weather. A draft from an air conditioner duct in the
summer will result in the birds trying to keep warm by puffing up. A draft from a
furnace in the winter will often tend to lower the humidity as well as making the
birds
Temperature: Doves can withstand temperatures in the 90's to near freezing. But
they do prefer temperatures up to the 80's.
Inside the cage, be sure there is at least one perch. You will need to provide a
dish for water, one for seed and a source of grit. Then place the dishes such that
the birds will not soil them with droppings. This may take some rearranging and
creativity as they often perch on the sides of bowls.
Don't put too many birds in one cage. Males caged together may fight if the
cage is too small, especially if there is a female nearby. So if you plan on more
than one pair, be sure to provide separate cages for your birds. Several females
do great together, or several females and one male. Even the babies may be
chased off when the second nest is started.
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Foods and Diet
A very good food is essential. A Love Dove diet should consist of wheat, milo,
rice, millet, cracked corn, vetch, chopped peanuts, safflower and little back
sunflower that is high in oil. There is less waste if these are not mixed. Don't
overfeed! Extra feed on the ground may spoil and cause illness. Pigeon pellets or
the smaller 20% protein game-bird pellets, or even "crumbled" poultry feed may
suffice if the birds become used to it. The pellets will supply vitamins A andD3.
The D3 is necessary if direct sun is not available.
Finch Seed
Mixed Feed
Laying Mash
Grit
Supplements are important too. Be sure to provide salts, minerals, and calcium.
Provide extra calcium in the form of crushed eggshell, or oyster shell, or a special
pigeon grit. Livestock salt with trace elements such as iodine, cobalt,
manganese, and other minerals is also good. This extra mineral supplement is
especially necessary if the doves are raising young. Some people provide
charcoal. Green leaves such as dandelion leaves or spinach are enjoyed, but
they are not necessary if complete pellets are given. Be sure that the leaves
have not had herbicide sprayed on them if you gather them in the wild. I always
provide water soluble vitamins regularly about 2X a week. You can order water
soluble vitamins from www.whitedoveceremony.com.
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Fresh water is a must, and it should be in a bowl that is at least and inch deep
because doves drink water like pigeons - in a continuous draught with their bill
emerged in the water. One big drink per day is minimal, but morning and evening
drinks or free choice is much better. Water is critical! Be sure
your doves have fresh water daily and that the containers that
you use are cleaned and scrubbed at least twice a week. The
water container pictured to the right holds a gallon and is
available at most feed stores, and it would be good for an avairy
with many birds. I add several drops of chlorine to a gallon of
water if it is going to stand for several days before being refilled.
Feeders should be designed to limit the food that is scatted by the
birds. Some breeders feed once a day and remove the excess
feed after one hour, this may help to decrease scattered food in
your aviary. If your birds are raising young, be sure there is food available all the
time however. Just be sure that they are at least 13% protein for basic
maintenance and for breeding season and molting season, a diet up to 18-20%
protein is preferred. The growing young demand the extra nutrition. In the photo
of the tail feathers (click photo to enlarge) you can see "stress lines" that indicate
that this youngster had several periods of stress while they were developing.
The diet should be examined as it may have been the cause.
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Breeding Love Doves
Breeding your Love Doves is an exciting adventure. If you have a male and
female, sooner or later the male will begin to coo and bow for the female. He will
select a nest site and call to the female to inspect the area. It may be the feed
bowl or the corner of the cage. At this time put a small container into the cage
and fill it with nesting material. The container should be about 5 inches across
and several inches deep. The most important thing is that the bottom is not
smooth. The young birds will develop "spraddle legs" if the bottom is smooth. I
have used plastic dog dishes with indoor-outdoor carpet glued to the bottom. On
top of that add nesting material. You can order your nesting material from
www.whitedoveceremony.com
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The clutch consists of two eggs, laid 1 to 2 days apart. The
incubation period, or the time that the eggs are covered and kept
warm by the parents is 14 days. Both the male and female will take
turns incubating the eggs. The eggs will hatch and the parents will
remove the egg shells. Do not assist the young out of the
shell.
When the eggs are 3 to 5 days old, you can hold them
against a bright light and "candle" them -- or look inside to see if there is an
embryo. You will be able to see the blood vessels and embryo, unless the eggs
are infertile. Older eggs will be dark
throughout with a clear air space at one
end. Infertile eggs will remain clear with
just the yellowish yolk showing.
Both parents feed the young, starting
with "crop milk" produced in their crops
the first week. The crop is an enlarged
area of the esophagus where for holding
food before it goes to the stomach.
They gradually feed more and more
seeds as the baby grows. You will be
able to see the seeds in the crop area
beneath the neck of the bird after it has been fed. The young dove will insert the
bill inside the bill of the parents and the parents regurgitate the crop milk and
seed for the baby as shown in the photo.
The young Love Doves grow very fast being able to leave the nest in
approximate 12 to 14 days. The parents will continue to feed it for a few days or
even up to a couple of weeks, and then begin another nest. You should probably
remove the babies into their own cage before the next eggs hatch.
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Young doves gradually molt their plumage (shed their feathers and grow new
ones) at about 30 to 40 days of age and then once more before becoming
mature at 5-7 months. Breeding doves molt once a year, beginning in summer,
but you will see loose feathers on the floor at any time.
Doves can live several years; they are not considered old until about 5 years or
more and in captivity have been known to live and still be producing young at 17
years of age!
Day of Hatching
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Growing Up
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How to Handle a Love Dove
Handling your Love Dove must be gentle but firm. Never holding a dove by its
wings vertically above its back as that can result in broken wings. Place you
hands over the top of the body and control the wings by covering the shoulders
with your hands. If you are banding the bird, it may help to point the dove's head
toward your body ("2 handed") . To hold with one hand, place your hand over the
doves back, hook the little finger in front of the "far" wing and control the
shoulders by 3 fingers along the shoulder and wing and the thumb over the near
wing.
Never squeeze your dove because birds must breath by moving their breast in
and out. You can actually suffocate a bird by holding it too tightly.
Bathing
Occasionally you can offer your doves an additional large bowl of water to bathe
in. They are fun to watch while bathing. But as a rule, Love Doves are generally
very clean birds. You can also mist them with a light spray of water from a clean
spray bottle, in place of a full bath.
Bands and Record Keeping
Good record keeping is essential for long term success. At the very least, keep a
notebook in the loft and make notes of which birds are paired and the young that
they produce.
Banding
Why band your doves? Because without bands it is impossible to
keep detailed records. Band the chicks in the nest with a record of
their parents. This way, you can breed your best performers to
provide replacement birds and eliminate your poor performers.
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You will not need a closed band like they use for racing pigeons or show birds,
but if you decide on a closed band it must be placed on the leg of the chick when
it is very young -- about 5 to 7 days of age. The band will be there for the life of
the bird and cannot be removed or changed. Simply slide the band up over the
front three toes and pull the back toe through so that the band is resting on the
upper part of the foot and all the toes are in their normal position on the floor. DO
NOT LEAVE ANY TOES UNDER THE BAND.
The pictures show the sequence of banding a chick with a closed band. In Photo
1 you can see that there are four toes. Slip the band over three toes with the
"thumb" back along the leg (photo 2). Then gently pull the toe forward so that it
is in front of the band and all four toes are below the band. The band will be on
the bird for life.
Be very sure you have the correct band size for your birds!
If you do not need such a permanent record, use colored plastic bands imprinted
with a number. Follow the directions with your bands, and be very careful not to
hyperextend the leg or injure the bird when you are banding them. Be sure to get
a size that is for "ring-neck dove size". Diamond Dove size is too small! Then
check periodically to be sure that the band is not binding the leg or irritating it.
Nothing is more sad than putting on a band that is too small and then loosing a
leg!
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When you need to care for a baby dove...
Wild Doves
When I was at the University of Hawaii studying avian science, I received
numerous calls from well meaning people that would find baby birds that looked
like they had fallen from nests. Many ended up on my desk and I ended up
caring for them. However, as a general rule -- if the baby had feathers, leave it
right where it is. You might place it up in a tree if it is on the ground, then just
walk away. The parents will take care of the baby bird in 99 out of 100 cases.
Many young birds leave the nest before they can fly.
However, there has been a high wind that destroys a nest or if the nest has been
attacked by a predator, then the babies may need some assistance. Also, if a
baby is very weak, the parents may toss it out. In these cases, you may be able
to save the bird. First of all try placing the bird back in the nest and then watch to
see if the parents return. This may take some time, but if they have not returned
by nightfall, collect the baby. You can then take it a wildlife re-habilitator in the
morning or try to feed it yourself. If the dove is sick and not just weak, take it to a
veterinarian and be sure to wash your hands after handling. There are some
infections that can be passed from doves to people. If you have other doves in
captivity, be sure to keep the baby isolated from them in case it has some
disease also.
Note: In case you are interested in keeping a wild bird as a pet, be aware that
there are federal laws that require permits to keep wild doves. You should
contact your federal or state fish and wildlife service offices for additional
information.
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Feeding Baby Love Doves
If you decide to care for the baby and feed it, put the chick in a small box (a shoe
box is ideal), in a small bowl with some straw or absorbent material in the bowl.
Do not use a very smooth dish unless you glue a piece of rough fabric (indooroutdoor carpet is perfect) on the bottom. Put the dried grass or straw on top of
fabric. The chick must be able to get some traction or the legs will not develop
properly. Place a light over the box keeping the chick warm, but not too warm. A
40 watt bulb on a desk lamp is perfect, and then just raise or lower the light to
keep the temperature about 96 +/-2 degrees. Do not guess at the temperature...
use a thermometer. You can partially cover the box to shade the baby from the
light, and add some damp paper towels or an open water container to provide
some humidity. As the baby grows and becomes feathered, decrease the
temperature to about 80 +/-3 degrees.
As a rule, if the dove is less than 4 days old, the
parents would normally be feeding it crop milk".
There are some Squab Formulas available
commercially, but they are often very difficult to
obtain. Your chances of saving the baby are not
high. There really is no good substitute for crop milk, but you can try the general
formula with a higher proportion of egg and less wheat germ.
After the baby is several days old, switch it to the following formula:
2 tablespoons Gerber's High Protein Baby Cereal
1/4 Mashed hard boiled egg
1/4 teaspoon Wheat Germ
Liquid vitamins (a few drops)
---Moisten with warm water and feed to the baby.
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At about day 6 or 7 begin to add some seeds to the formula and gradually
increase the proportion of seed until the bird can eat independently. Provide a
dish of seed for the baby to find when it leaves the nest bowl.
To feed the young dove there are several methods.
1. Use a modified syringe or plastic tubing. Cut the end so that the baby bird
can thrust his bill into the inside of the tube and into the food and suck it
up. A plastic syringe is great for this with aquarium tubing or just cut the
end off the syringe and fill with formula. Add the rubber bulb from an
eyedropper, and you have a soft flexible tube. You may have to change
sizes of tubes as the baby grows. To begin, gently place the baby's beak
inside the tube so food will enter the mouth. Use warm formula.
2. Use a syringe with a small piece of tubing attached. Place the tube deep in
the babies throat (past the trachea) and just fill the crop. The baby will usually
fight you with this method, but it is very effective in getting the food inside. Be
very careful that the food does not go into the windpipe, and be careful to not
damage the mouth or esophagus. This is probably not the best method for
taming the baby.
3. Place the formula in a teaspoon and place the babies bill in the formula. It will
learn to suck up the food. Be patient. This may take some time to teach the
baby.
Leave the baby in the bowl between feedings and it will raise up and defecate
outside the bowl. This makes keeping it clean very easy. When the baby leaves
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the nest, remove the bowl. When it is fully feathered and eating and drinking on
its own, you can eliminate the light.
Below is an approximate feeding schedule for Love doves.
Days 1-2: feed 5 to 7 times a day or more, squab formula.
Day 3 to 4: Squab Formula - 4 to 5 times a day
Day 5 to 6: 3 times a day, adding a small amount of seed. If the baby won't eat
the seed in the formula, push it gently into the bill. You will spill a lot so be sure
to work over a tray to catch the seed.
Day 7 to 15: 3 times a day, increasing the proportion of seed
Day 16: Baby leaves nest and should peck seed from the cage floor. Tap you
finger in the seed to show the baby where it is. Continue feeding the bird for the
next week or so until you are sure it is eating totally on its own.
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Training and Taming Your Love Dove
Training your Love Dove will be a wonderful experience if you are patient and
take your time. Remember, the bird may be frightened of you, so first you must
gain its trust. Always move slowly.
Finger Training
1. Begin by placing your hand in the cage. Wait until the dove is not frightened
and then remove you hand. Do this until the dove is
comfortable with your hand.
2. Extend your finger and gently touch the dove and stroke
the feathers.
3. Then have the bird step onto your finger by pressing against the breast.
Moving very slowly, put it back on the perch by placing it
with the perch pressing on the breast so that the bird has to
step up and onto the perch. Do this several times a day
until the bird is not frightened and will readily step into your
hand. Allow it to hop from your hand when it wants so that
it will not feel threatened.
4. Finally, slowly lift it out of the cage as it sits on your
finger. The first time, put it right back in the cage and let
that be the lesson. When it will come in and out of the
cage without hopping away, you can carry it away from
the cage on your finger. Soon you will be walking around
the room with the bird on your finger. If it should fly, pick it up by letting it hop up
on your finger and begin again.
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The key to this training is to spend lots of time and always talk softly and move
slowly. Each step may take several sessions and sometimes several days.
Hopping from one hand to another
Remove the food and when you feed the bird, let it learn to eat from your hand.
Soon it will be very happy to see you because it will associate you with food.
To train the bird to hop or fly from one had to another, have it sit on one hand
and eat out of your other hand. Move your hands apart gradually until it has to
hop to get to the food. Soon it will be flying from one had to your other hand. If
you use a cue or sound as it hops, it will soon associate the sound with the hop
and eventually you can cue the bird to hop.
Fly and Return
When it learns to hop back to you hand, you will eventually be able to toss the
bird up and it will fly back to your hand. Use food as a reward. When you first
are training your bird to do this, go into a dark room alone with the bird and have
your hand be the only lit area. Toss it into the dark and it will return to your lit
hand.
Again, go in small steps, and take you time to build trust with your dove.
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Genetics
Let's start at the beginning by looking at genetics in general. It is important
to consider genetics so that you understand the makeup of your flock and
are able to breed for traits that you feel are essential. Their color is
partially determined by their genetic makeup and the genes that they
inherit.
Chromosomes are made up of DNA, and they carry the genetic code in a
series of genes located along their length. Chromosomes exist in pairs.
When an egg is fertilized to make a new chick, one set of chromosomes
comes from the mother and one from the father -- and they pair up to make
a new set of double chromosomes for the new chick. In each cell of the
new chick will be a complete set of the "new" chromosomes.
Genes are segments on the chromosomes or DNA each gene has the
code for a particular trait that is being passed from parents to chicks. Consider
that each of the circles in the diagram represent one gene that will determine a
particular trait.
Set of chromosomes in a chick showing 4 sets of genes
<<Chromosome A inherited from Mother
<<Chromosome B inherited from Father
Remember the genes are on both chromosomes, so they exist in pairs. This
shows 2 sets of genes, each gene with 2 alleles each. The interaction of these
alleles or pairs of genes determine what the new chick will be -- from color to
size, and all the other inherited features. Therefore, each trait in an individual is
determined by the interaction of two paired genes or "alleles", one that has been
28
passed to the chick from the father and one from the mother. Some alleles are
"recessive" and some are "dominant" and some are co-dominant, meaning
that when in the presence of another similar gene, the results are additive. If an
individual is "homozygous", it has two identical alleles for a genetic trait (see the
green alleles in diagram), and if an individual is "heterozygous", the alleles are
different such as the red and pink alleles. In addition, to complicate the picture,
some traits such as feather color are determined by several genes -- so even
recessive traits can be additive in results.
If you begin to breed birds, you will have to determine which factors of
inheritance are dominant and which are co-dominant, and which are
recessive. Colors in Ring-neck Doves are the most common place for
beginning breeders to begin. Until the 1950's, there were only about 2
color varieties of Ring-neck Doves, but since that time over 40 different
colors have been developed. There are now a rainbow of colors that are
becoming common for fanciers, and three types of white doves – albino,
bull-eyed white, and co-dominant white.
29
Colors of Ring-neck Doves
Photos from www.dovepage.com
Wild Type
Albino
Apricot
Ash
Blond
Blond Frosty
Blond Ivory
Bull-eyed White
Cream
Crested
Pied
Frosty
Ice
Ivory
Light Ash
Orange
Orange Neck
Orange Pearled
Orange Whiteback
Peach
Pink
Platinum
Roan
Rosy
Silky
Silver Ivory
Sunkist
Tangerine
Tangerine Pearled
Tangerine Whiteback
Tufted
Violet Neck
White
30
White Ring-neck Doves or Love Doves
Albino
An albino bird has no pigment and the eyes are red in the
adults. Sometimes in young chicks of other colors, the
eyes appear red but change as the chick matures past
about 3 weeks of age.. If an albino is bred to a colored bird, the young will
probably be colored – unless the colored bird has an albino parent. The feathers
of a true albino are pure white with no barring or coloration. Because of the lack
of pigment in the eye, an albino bird cannot see as well as colored birds. Young
squabs are less able to find food and water and may need assistance in finding
the food and water cups. Also, the albino may have problems seeing in bright
sunlight and if kept outdoors are more likely to develop eye problems than
normal birds. However, with lowered light levels albinos seem to have few
problems. They make great indoor pets with just a little extra care.
Bull-eyed White
A Bull-eyed White bird appears to have totally white
feathers with no neck ring, but if you look closely at the
under tail feathers, the outer two feathers (and
sometimes the inner ones) have a light tan bar. Sometimes the bill will be
partially dark in Bull-eyed birds. The legs are pinkish. Bull-eyes are so named
because they show no iris coloration and the eyes appear to be uniformly dark,
like the eyes of a “bull”. However, if you look closely in bright light, the inner iris
ring may be slightly visible but very faint and bluish in color.
Snow White
Snow White birds have a co-dominant gene for the
color white. The body is white and there is no neck
ring or under-tail bar. The pupil is dark but the outer
iris ring is dark reddish to chestnut color. When
31
paired to another colored bird, some offspring will be white because of the codominant gene.
White
This bird has a white head, body tail and wings and a
"light cream" or "tea colored" under-tail bar. There may
be a slight resemblance of a neck ring, although this is
usually very faint. Eye color is orange and the beak is
light horn color. Whites are often confused with albinos, especially as nestlings.
But iris coloration begins to change to a greyish color at about 4 or 5 days and
then gradually changes to the typical "orange" color of the adult.
How can you tell an adult “White” bird from an Albino?
Because albino birds do not do well in outdoor
aviaries, it is important to know if your bird is a
true albino. The eyes of the other white birds,
especially in bright light, can appear to be reddish. If you have
no albino bird to examine and compare to, or are not experienced, you might
mistake a true white bird to be an albino. Babies in the nest often appear to have
red eyes. But albino chicks have very few yellow hair on their bodies. Bull-eyed
white have a very dark eye with very little visible inside the eyeball. A White bird
will have an under tail band on the underside of the tail in the form of a light tan
bar across the basal end of the main tail feathers. Bull-eyed birds may also have
an under-tail bar, but sometimes only on the two outer feathers. Snowy Whites
have no tail bar, but often mottled eyes.
32
Part II
Health Maintenance
33
34
HEALTH MAINTENANCE PROGRAM
Success starts with good health. Assuming you begin with good stock, keep your
cages clean, dry, and not overcrowded, then disease will not be a major
problem. However, if you raise doves long enough, you will deal with most of
these situations sooner or later. Prevention is much better than emergency
treatment.
The signs of a sick bird include fluffed feathers and the bird sitting quietly by itself
with a ruffled look. Weepy eyes or stained feathers around the vent indicate that
something is not right. Watery or green droppings are never good. Open sores
should be treated immediately, and if your bird has difficulty breathing, take
action right away. When you bring a new bird into your flock, keep it isolated for
a week or so to be sure it is healthy. And when babies leave the nest, this can
be very stressful, so be alert for problems.
Begin a regular health maintenance program from the start to eliminate most
common contiguous bacterial, parasitic or viruses problems. There are many
medications on the market, some better than others. If you have a choice
between a pigeon version and a poultry version, use the formulation for pigeons.
However, some medications are only available for other species, so consider
dosage carefully.
Vaccinations
Although vaccines are available for many of the disease that you commonly find
in doves, I don’t recommend them for pet birds unless you are taking your birds
to shows where they will be in contact with many other doves or unless you have
many birds and have an outbreak of disease in your flock. Breeders of homing
pigeons often vaccinate all pigeons for PARATYPHOID and PARAMYXOVIRUS,
and AVIAN POX. A new threat that is affecting birds differentially is the WEST
NILE VIRUS. There is no vaccine specifically for birds although I have heard of
the horse vaccine (available at any local veterinary office) being used
35
successfully on birds, but pigeons and doves do not seem to be overly
susceptible. Protect them from mosquitoes to protect from West Nile.
Vitamins
Provide soluble vitamins in the water once or twice a week.
Other Health Products
There are lots of products for pigeons on the market, and any of these would be
good for doves. You will find everything from iodine solutions to garlic oil to
brewer's yeast. But rather than spending a lot of money on these products, I find
that a variety in their diet is the best. These supplements certainly do not hurt so
long as they are fed as additions to the regular feed so that your birds can
"choose" to eat them is they wish.
That's it. The following section will deal with some common diseases and their
treatments.
Trichomoniasis or Canker
Trichomoniasis or Canker is a widely distributed infectious disease.
Approximately 80% of all pigeons are infested with trichomonas. Adult pigeons
and doves rarely show symptoms of the disease, but in young birds the infection
is often severe and fatal.
Trichomonas is a protozoan, it is also a flagellate which can propel itself in fluids.
In many birds small pinhead sized yellow spots are observed in the throat or
gullet. These are often accumulations of the canker which look like small yellow
buttons. In adult pigeons canker does not usually produce any significant
damage to health, and there is some kind of equilibrium between the canker and
36
the defense mechanisms of the pigeons body. It is only when the defenses of the
pigeon are weakened by stress that the canker can multiply profusely, and a
slight insignificant canker infection then turns into a serious problem.
The stress can be caused by excessive demands in breeding, weakening of
the bird by infestation with internal parasites, paratyphoid, respiratory tract
infection or the first molting of the youngsters. The physical condition of the bird
has a bearing on the course of the disease. Weak birds or young birds usually
contract the rapidly spreading canker to which they may succumb after a short
period due to a lack of defense mechanisms.
There are three forms of the disease:
•
Pharyngeal Form: With this form of the disease, caseous yellow deposits
are observed in the throat when the beak is opened. The "buttons" which
may reach the size of a bean, inhibit the intake of feed and water as well
as breathing.
•
Umbilical Form: With this form of the disease the canker passes from the
infected nest box to the naval of the nestlings (which has not completely
closed) into the body. A tumor forms below the skin. An incision shows the
caseous and crumbly canker. In many cases the infection is confined to
this area only.
•
Organ Form: If the infection is not confined to the naval or throat, the
canker may attack various internal organs and cause considerable
changes. It is particularly in the liver that coarse yellowish canker are
formed and which are deeply embedded in the organ. Only general signs
like listlessness, apathy, and ruffled plumage as well as diarrhea,
emaciation, and debility may be observed.
General signs of Trichomoniasis include (l) listlessness, ruffled feathers, reduced
feed intake and increased water consumption, (2)diarrhea and progressive loss
of condition occur before death, (3)a greenish to yellowish fluid may be seen in
37
the mouth or dripping from beaks of infected birds, and (4) if Trichomonas have
settled in the respiratory system, the birds may gasp for air.
Soon after a severe infection sets in, a swelling may be noticed on the throat, just
below the beak. A cheesy mass may develop in the throat. This material may
extend into the sinuses, affecting the eyes. The cheesy mass can block the
throat to prevent swallowing feed or water and may occasionally extend into the
crop and esophagus. As the disease becomes more severe, the bird becomes
noticeably weak and emaciated.
Young birds usually die after an illness of 2 to 3 weeks. Adult birds often show
yellowish-white spots in the throat as their only signs of having the disease. It is
not known how long an individual which has recovered from the disease may
continue to be a carrier.
_________________
The medication of choice in Europe is: Ronidazole (Ridzol). It is available in
powder or tablets, and is not harmful to young birds. If you can obtain this, it is a
good treatment.
•
Tablets: 1/2 Tablet a day for 3 days, may repeat. Individual Treatment.
•
Powder: 1 Tsp. per gallon of water for 5 days. Flock Treatment.
There are several other products that are effective Diametridazole or Emtryl, and
Metronidazole or Flagyl, Spartrix, Dacoxine, and Trichocease. Be sure to follow
the recommended dosages on the package.
38
Coccidiosis
Coccidiosis is an intestinal disease which is widely distributed among all
doves. Nearly all adults are coccidia carriers and excrete oocysts (the permanent
stages of the pathogen) in their droppings without suffering from the disease.
Coccidiosis is an insidious condition which is more like a stress factor than an
actual disease. Since coccidiosis opens the door to other diseases like
paratyphoid, canker or paramyxovirus, appropriate treatment should be carried
out within reasonable limits.
Coccidia are monocellular organisms (protozoa) which live as parasites in the
intestine. They invade the cells of the intestine where they multiply and destroy
the intestinal wall. The result is an inflammation of the bowels with diarrhea. The
pathogens form permanent stages (oocysts) which become infective after
maturing in the environment. Their resistant shell makes the oocysts relatively
intensive to environmental factors. Adult pigeons are coccidia carriers without
visible being affected, and constantly excrete oocysts. As a result of the profuse
multiplication of the coccidia in the cells of the small intestine, a large part of the
cells of the intestinal wall are destroyed. This causes severe digestive disorder
which manifests itself in diarrhea with the acute form of the disease. The
destroyed intestinal wall enables bacteria to spread very easily. Coccidiosis, like
paratyphoid, thus opens the door to other bacterial infections.
There are two forms of Coccidiosis:
•
Subclinical Or Asymptomatic Form: This form is seen in almost all
pigeons. They do not show any symptoms of the disease. Through the
regular ingestion of oocysts, the defenses of the pigeon body are
continually stimulated, thus gradually producing immunity to infection. In
this situation the pigeon lives in some kind of equilibrium with the
39
pathogens. It serves little purpose to treat birds with such low grade
infestation, since the balance in favor of the pigeons body is temporarily
disturbed and natural immunity to infection is reduced for a while.
•
Actual Coccidiosis Taking An Acute Course: This form of the disease very
rarely occurs in young susceptible birds from the third week of life, which
have not yet been able to build up immunity to infection. Stress factors like
the change over from crop milk to grain feed reduce the natural résistance
of young pigeons and allow the rapid spread of coccidia, even if only few
oocysts are taken up. Symptoms of severe intestinal disease appear,
such as digestive disorders with muco-aqueous and, in some cases
bloody diarrhea. Emaciation, listlessness and debility are also observed.
As a result, such pigeons die either of weakness or of secondary
infections. If affected birds are treated in time, the prospects of a cure are
favorable, since the damaged intestinal wall recovers comparatively
quickly.
The medications of choice is: Corid (Amprolium) The drug of choice by many
against coccidiosis, it is highly effective and can be mixed with other drugs.
•
1 Teaspoon per gallon of water for 3 to 5 days.
Other treatments on the market include: Baycox, Trimethoprim/Sulfa, Sulmet
(Sulfamethazine),
Divet,
Albon
(Sulfadimthoxine),
Trimethoprim, Corid (Amprol), Coccivet, Appertex, Vetisulid.
40
(Sulfamethoxazole-
Ecto-Parasites
Infestation with ectoparasites such as Mites, Lice and Ticks is wide
spread among birds. The parasites which belong to the species of insects and
arachnids, damage the pigeons organisms in various ways. While low grade
infestation often does not give rise to any symptoms, severe infestation mat
cause considerable damage and may even lead to the death of young pigeons.
Ticks are arachnids which infest cages and lofts from time to time and suck
blood. These parasites also attack other birds, mammals and man. At times ticks
which are mainly active at night, cause such heavy loss of blood that anemia
results. The nestlings and young birds may succumb.
Mites also belong to the arachnids. Depending on the species, they live on or
in the skin and feed on blood, tissue particles or feather material. Apart from
pigeons, the same types of mites also occur in domestic poultry and in other
birds. Most types of mites live permanently on the host animal. The red mite is an
exception to this rule. It leaves the pigeon during the day, hiding under perches
or in cracks in the loft, and attacks then only at night. The mites most dangerous
to our pigeons are the red mite, the body mange mite and the scaly leg mite. In
cases of severe infestation, these species cause pronounced symptoms.
Plumage lice are insects, 11 types of which occur on pigeons and other
species that find their way to doves. Virtually every bird harbors plumage lice,
which do little damage, however, if the infestation is slight. The parasites live
permanently on the pigeon and feed on the feather powder, feather material, skin
scales and sometimes blood. Severe infestation leads to holes being eaten into
the feathers, increased wear and tear and inadequate plumage formation for
nestlings.
41
The medication of choice is: Insectrin GP Poultry dust. Sprinkle on perches, in
nest boxes or directly on the pigeons, Not harmful. Be sure to disinfect the entire
loft also. Treatment of birds can also be accomplished with Ivermectin. One drop
in the throat or 3 drops on the skin will treat an adult.
Ornithosis
Ornithosis is an infectious disease caused by chlamydia and can be
transmitted from animals to man. Ornithosis is particularly frequent from May to
July and from October to December. It is only in young birds that the disease
causes substantial losses. If adult pigeons are infected, they usually do not show
any, or only very slight symptoms.
Chlamydia are excreted in the droppings, lachrymal fluid, beak and throat
mucus and the crop milk. Birds visibly suffering from ornithosis and those who
are carriers may excrete the pathogen. The birds contract the infection by
breathing in dust containing the pathogen, by ingesting infected feed or water
and by billing or feeding their young.
Ornithosis manifests itself in impaired general condition. The bird will show
listlessness, reduced feed intake, increased water intake, reduced performance
and high losses in rearing. In some birds conjunctivitis (sticking together of the
eye lids) is observed. There may be sensitivity to bright light and shut their eyes.
The result of the inflammation causes the tear duct to become narrower and the
production of lachrymal fluid increases. As it cannot sufficiently flow out through
the tear duct, it is secreted via the eye lid. At first the discharge is aqueous but
then turns to mucus, the eye lids stick together and begin to bulge with the
accumulated fluid. If the inflammation persists for a long period, corneal opacity
can occur, leading to blindness.
42
Once the first case has been observed, several of the birds will successively
show the same inflammation of the conjunctiva. Only a few birds will contract the
infection at the same time. It may therefore take 3 or 4 weeks before all the birds
in the loft or aviary are infected.
The disease may spread to the upper respiratory tract. Nasal catarrh occurs, a
milky yellow fluid may discharge from the nostrils and then dry and obstruct
them. The pigeon will have to breath through the half opened beak. The
inflammation causes pain and itching, which the bird will try to scratch. They may
also try to clear their nostrils by sneezing and jerking its head about.
Adequate treatment of ornithosis is very important for the following reasons;
There is a danger that the infection is transmitted to man. With chronic ornithosis
the entire offspring of the birds are at risk (losses up to 80%). Latent ornithosis
opens the door to further diseases. Untreated ornithosis causes lasting damage.
The medication of choice is: Baytril 10% (also good for paratyphoid and e-coli):
Bacterial injection and drug sensitivity is the first choice in determining which
drug your pigeon should be treated with, in lieu of that, Baytril is the drug of
choice because it works in most cases against bacterial infections. Baytril can be
purchased in tablets for individual birds or in liquid form for flock treatment.
•
Tablets: 1 tablet for 14 days for an individual bird.
•
Liquid: 4cc per gallon for 10 days for flock treatment.
Liquid: 3 or 4 drops down the birds throat for 14 days. (individual treatment).
43
Paramyxovirus
Paramyxovirus, a virus disease was first found to take an epidemic course in
pigeons in the Federal Republic of Germany in 1982. Following a large
international fancy pigeon show the disease occurred in pedigreed pigeons in the
winter of 1982/1983 After the start of the racing season in the summer of 1983,
numerous cases occurred also in racing pigeons with substantial losses. The
Paramyxovirus of pigeons is closely related to the virus of atypical fowl pest
(Newcastle Disease). The virus spreads by direct contact from bird to bird or
indirectly through the pathogen bearing dust. This dust is also spread by insects
(flies, mosquitoes), mammals, (rats, mice) and humans. It is assumed that other
doves could be susceptible.
The first sign of the disease is increased water intake and watery droppings,
soon some of the birds show central nervous disorders like paralysis, torsion of
the neck, increased timidity and typical twisting movements of the body. To
detect the infection at an early stage these nervous disorders can be provoked if
there is reason to suspect the disease. A bird suspected of Paramyxovirus is put
into an unaccustomed position, for example it is placed on its side, or is
frightened by the clapping of one's hands. The bird suffering from Paramyxovirus
is no longer able to control the takeoff reflex in such situations of fright. They
either fly against a wall or overturn in flight. The infected individuals also show
typical behavior when trying to eat their grain. They try to pick the grain, but just
before reaching the grain they jerk their head sideways' thus missing the grain.
This condition will worsen until the bird will not be able to pick up any seeds at
all. Of the visibly affected birds, some will die quickly, but the majority live on and
develop poorly.
44
•
General Measures If The Disease Is Suspected: If Paramyxovirus is
suspected, precautionary measures should be taken which slow down or
prevent the spread of the infection, until the position has been clarified.
•
The most important action that should be taken immediately is to establish
the cause of the disease. For this purpose laboratory tests described have
to be carried out.
•
Isolate sick birds. Birds with visible signs of the disease (diarrhea, central
nervous disorders) should be separated from the rest of the loft and
treated. Free flight for pigeons should be stopped. Outsiders should not be
allowed to enter the loft.
•
Keep infected birds hydrated. Affected birds should be offered water in
vessels with a large surface, since indivuduals with nervous disorders are
often unable to take up water from normal drinking vessels.
•
Keep infected birds fed. Birds showing pronounced central nervous
disorders should be fed individually. In the loft or aviary they would not be
able to feed at all, since the healthy pigeons would quickly eat up all the
feed. To stabilize the intestinal environment, give the birds beneficial
bacteria.
•
Measures To Be Taken If Paramyxovirus Is Present: Vaccinate all birds in
possible contact with infected birds. The virus infection cannot be treated
by giving drugs that contain antibiotics. With this type of pathogen, only
vaccination can prevent the spread of the infection. According to present
findings, the immunity conferred by the vaccine lasts only 6 months.
Emergency vaccination which can prevent the spread of the virus
infection, should be carried out in all birds that still appear to be healthy.
After the emergency vaccination it will still take 2 or 3 weeks until sufficient
antibodies have been formed. During this time further cases of the
disease may appear
•
Cull severely infected individuals. All birds with severe central nervous
disorders should be culled, since the prospects of a cure are very poor. If
the fancier does not wish to eliminate valuable pigeons, they should be
45
separated from the rest of the loft. Vaccination of diseased birds is not
possible.
•
Hygienic measures and disinfection should be carried out to support
vaccination: droppings, remnants of feed and litter should be removed
daily when cleaning the loft. Cleaned surfaces should be disinfected.
•
Supportive Measures: Administration of vitamins, particularly of the B
complex, and of body salts in the form of electrolytes in the drinking water.
Beneficial bacteria for the intestinal flora. Secondary infections should be
treated.
The medication of choice is: Colombovac pmv/pox. For the prevention of
paramyxovirus and pox in pigeons, all in one injection. Should be injected under
the skin on the upper rear part of the neck, below the head area. Dosage is 0.2cc
per pigeon. Do not vaccinate pigeons under 6 weeks of age. Keep vaccine
refrigerated until use, use all of the vaccine after opening, dispose of the unused
portions and syringes properly.
Paratyphoid or Salmonellosis
Salmonellosis or Paratyphoid, (Leg Paralysis, Wing Paralysis) is a bacterial
disease. It has different symptoms depending on what organs are affected. It
causes high mortality in the very young pigeons, birds that survive the infection
frequently become carriers as they harbor the pathogen in their bodies and
excrete them without showing any visible symptoms of the disease. Carriers
endanger the entire flock, especially the young birds.
The salmonellae bacteria settles in the intestine, they posses one flagella
which enables movement in a moist environment. The pathogens are excreted
via the droppings, crop milk, saliva and with infected eggs. Salmonellae can
enter the pigeons body through contaminated feed or drinking water, also
46
through billing or feeding of the young birds. The pathogen can even enter the
body by breathing dust containing it.
The disease is imported into the loft or aviary by the introducing of a new
infected bird to the flock, either by purchasing an infective bird or an infected wild
bird that has strayed into the loft.
There are four different forms of the disease:
•
Intestinal Form: This form causes diarrhea with slimy/aqueous brownish to
greenish droppings, the droppings will be surrounded by fluid and may
contain pulpy undigested feed. The intestines are inflamed, feed cannot
be broken down for its nutrients. Since the pigeon can no longer absorb
the nutrients its starts using its blood sugar, when that is depleted, it uses
its fat reserves and then finally its protein i.e. muscle tissue. Soon the
individual is emaciated (starving) and the dies.
•
Articular Form: Salmonellae can quickly multiply in the digested feed.
Through damaged intestinal walls they pass easily into the blood stream.
From there the blood will carry the disease throughout the whole body.
The pathogens may settle in the pigeons joints where they cause painful
inflammation. The body reacts by the increased formation of fluid to these
joints, therefore the swelling. The inflammation manifests itself by the
pigeon letting a wing droop or holding its leg up to ease the pressure put
upon the joints and alleviate the pain.
•
Organ Involvement: The disease can also multiply in the different organs
of the pigeon especially the liver, kidneys, spleen, heart and pancreas.
Tumor like yellowish gray nodes are formed. The changes in the organs
are not characterized by any typical external symptoms except
listlessness, difficulty in breathing and rapidly progressing debility.
•
Nervous Disorder: Salmonellae can enter the brain and the bone marrow
and cause inflammation there. As a result of the inflammation there is
47
increased pressure exerted on the nerve cells causing an impaired sense
of balance and finally paralysis.
The medication of choice is: Baytril 10% (also good for e-coli and ornithosis):
Bacterial injection and drug sensitivity is the first choice in determining which
drug your pigeon should be treated with, in lieu of that, Baytril is the drug of
choice because it works in most cases against bacterial infections. Baytril can be
purchased in tablets for individual birds or in liquid form for flock treatment.
•
Tablets: 1 tablet for 14 days for an individual bird
•
Liquid: 4cc per gallon for 10 days for flock treatment.
•
Liquid: 3 or 4 drops down the birds throat for 14 days. (individual
treatment).
Most of all, isolate any new birds you acquire and observe them for at least 30
days before you introduce them into the loft. And make your loft intruder proof
for stray common pigeons and for rodents. Rats and mice also carry paratyphoid
and will soil the grain that your birds eat.
Avian Pox
Bird pox is virus disease which is found most often in racing pigeons, and less
commonly in fancy pigeons and doves. The typical scabby deposits on the outer
skin (pox) have given the disease its name. If these deposits occur on the beak
and in the throat area, they are described as the mucosal form of pox. Young
birds are more susceptible to the infection than adult pigeons where pox is rarely
seen.
Pox viruses are excreted by saliva, nasal and the lachrymal fluid. The fluids
drip onto the loft floor and dry up. The pathogen containing dust is whirled up by
the movement of the pigeons. For the pox infection to take, minute lesions or
48
injuries need to be present (from pigeons pecking each other or the bite of a
mosquito) into which the pathogen bearing dust can penetrate. There they cause
locally confined but pronounced deposits. The scabby pox will occur especially in
skin areas not covered by feathers, such as the orbital margins, the skin on the
edge of the beak, the legs and feet. However the pathogens can also settle in the
nasal cavity and the pharynx, the windpipe and the gullet may become
obstructed by the yellowish deposits which are difficult to detach. The birds will
suffocate of succumb from starvation.
The skin and mucosal forms of pox can be easily recognized by the scabby
deposits. Pox can be confused with canker, but canker usually never develops
on the bare skin only in mucus areas.
The medication of choice is: Pox Vaccine (Main Labs) Used by many fanciers,
and almost a must in the South. This is the brush on type. One will remove
(pluck) a few feathers from an area of the leg of their pigeon and expose the skin
from where the feathers were removed, brush on the vaccine onto this area.
•
All Birds Without Symptoms: Emergency vaccination: The spread of
the infection can be accelerated by vaccinating all of the pigeons in the loft
that still appear to be healthy. The vaccination is carried out using a live
vaccine containing attenuated pigeon pox virus.
•
All Birds In The Loft: Follow up treatment subsequent to the actual
treatment of all the birds in the loft or aviary has proved of value.
Disinfection: As a result of the infection, there will be an accumulation of
pathogens in the environment. Therefore disinfection needs to be carried out
using an agent that destroys the viruses. After thorough cleaning, the loft and the
aviary are disinfected twice at an interval of one week. Birds that survive a pox
infection possess lifelong immunity.
49
Intestinal Parasites
Roundworms and hairworms are frequently involved in the worm infestation
of the pigeons and doves. Other types of worms play a lesser role. Roundworms
and hairworms live as parasites in the intestine of the pigeons. They damage a
bird's body by extracting important nutritive substances from the digested food
(roundworms), by the toxic effect of their excretion products and by destruction of
the intestinal wall (hairworms).
Hairworm infestation is in fact the most common worm disease in pigeons.
Roundworms occur only in pigeons and will also infect doves. Every 5th pigeon is
likely to be infested with roundworms. In many cases both types of worms appear
at the same time. Young birds show increased susceptibility, whereas adults
seem to develop some kind of immunity to these parasites. Although they may
harbor isolated worms, symptoms of the disease are rarely observed. These
individuals are permanent carriers and are a constant source of infection for the
rest of the loft, particularly the young birds.
Worms consist mainly of protein. They are protected against the digestive
juices of the host by layers of keratin or chitin. In the intestine the worms adhere
to the intestinal wall with suction cups (roundworms) or burrow into the mucosa
(hairworms). For this reason, they are not washed away with the digested food
(although their eggs are) and excreted in the droppings. Pigeon roundworms
measure 2 to 6 cm in length and approximately 1 mm in diameter. They are
visible to the unaided eye. By contrast, hairworms are considerably smaller and
as fine as a hair. They are 26 mm long and only 0.08 mm in diameter.
Propagation is by the direct or indirect route. Worms with direct development
do not need an intermediate host. The eggs excreted in the droppings go through
a maturation stage in the environment and are taken up "directly" by the bird
50
through the feed or water. With indirect development the egg first has to enter an
intermediate host (earthworm) in which maturation occurs. A larva develops in
the egg. When the bird eats the infected earthworm, the mature eggs get into the
intestine where the egg is dissolved. The larva is released and develops into a
sexually mature worm in the intestine of the pigeon. The birds can only become
infected by the ingestion of mature (infective) eggs. Here the danger of infection
is greater with worms propagating "directly" than those which multiply by indirect
development, since the birds can re-infect themselves continually from their own
droppings. It always takes some time (at least one week) before eggs become
infective. Regular removal of the droppings is therefore the best preventive
method against worm infestation.
Deworming must be carried out as as individual treatment, for the following
reasons:
•
Only in this way can the anthelmintic (worm medicine) be dosed
accurately.
•
As a result of the high concentration over a short period, a strong effect is
achieved with a small quantity of active substance. In this way undesirable
side effects are reduced or eliminated.
•
Experience has shown that with treatment thru the drinking water, some
birds will refuse to drink the water for up to 3 or 4 days, even if the deworming agent only slightly modifies the taste of the water. Such birds
receive too little of the anthelmintic or none at all and remain worm
infested and re-infect the rest of the loft again.
The medicine of choice is: Ivomec Cattle Wormer Injectable. Best on the
market today. Effective against all worms, except tapeworms. For individual
treatment. 3 drops down the throat, 2 or 3 times a year. Even helps against
external parasites.
51
PART III
Doves and Pigeons of the World
52
Band-Tailed Pigeon
The Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba
Photo by Ralph Wright.
fasciata) is North America's largest pigeon
(13.5 inches), and it is found along the coastal
woodlands of the Pacific coast and the mountains
of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah -- as
far north as southern Alaska and south into Baja
California on the coast and along the continental
divide all the way to South America. You can see it feeding on berries and seeds
in the tops of trees of many forests including pine-oak, redwood, conifer, and
even deserts.
Band-tailed Pigeons have pale gray wings, yellow legs, a white crescent
bordering a distinct patch of iridescent greenish-bronze feathers on the back of
the neck in the adult, a yellow bill with black tip, and a wide, gray tail band. They
lay only one egg, have an incubation period of 16 to 22 days, a nestling period of
25 to 27 days and feed on nuts, fruits and seeds.
In its U.S. and Canadian breeding range it has shown a steady decline of
greater than 2% per year since the 1960's but the reasons for the decline are not
well-understood. It was a popular game bird and hunting continues in California,
Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah Mexico, Central and South America. Little
action has been taken to stabilize these populations.
53
Common Ground Dove
The Common Ground Dove is also known as Columbina
passerina. It is small at about 5.5 inches in length. This
chunky little dove has a black-tipped orange bill, a graybrown back with black spots on the wing coverts. There is
cinnamon inside the primaries that you can see when it flies. Males have a
pinkish-buff head, neck and breast and there is blue on the back of the neck and
nape. The head of the female and juveniles is pale gray. The tail is short. Within
its range there are several small doves that might be confused with the Common
Ground Dove. Juvenile Mourning Doves are also scaly, but are longer-tailed,
lack cinnamon primaries and tend to be more extensively scaly. Inca Dove is
longer-tailed, scaly on the belly and back and lacks spotting on coverts Rare
Ruddy Ground-Dove lacks scaliness and has black underwing coverts.
Common Ground Doves feed primarily on seeds but may eat insects too. It is a
permanent resident within its range. The clutch size is 2 eggs, the incubation
period is 12 to 14 days, and the nestling period is 11 days.
** CBC Limit Christmas Bird Count. This survey is performed in one calendar day any time from mid-December to early January
by volunteers. Birds are counted in an area with a 15 mile radius. Data from this survey is used to generate the CBC maps.
54
Diamond Doves
The Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata) is a small doves,
native to Australia. They were bred successfully as early as
1870 in Europe. In its native habitat, the Diamond Dove
occurs mainly in pairs, and at times in small flocks. The
feeding on a variety of grass seeds, running on the ground
with a bobbing, motion of its long tail. The nests are typical
dove nests of dried grasses and small twigs.
The Diamond Dove has a penetrating coo, often consisting of a singular note.
You will often find them in pet stores and they readily available for raising and
keeping in captivity. They are a very good choice of doves if you are just starting
because the are easy to breed and keep. They do well with other species in an
aviary too. Diamonds may bath if give the chance, although this is not crucial.
They prefer warmer areas and can tolerate frost and freezes for short periods
only.
The original wild type is Grey or Blue Diamond with a slate gray color over the
entire body. The wing coverts have small white dots, which is where the name
"Diamond" dove comes from. The outer dark gray tail feathers are tipped with
white, the inner primary wing feathers have a rufous color when seen in flight.
Diamond Doves have red eyes encircled by a conspicuous fleshy red cere, which
is larger in males. The female Grey Diamond has a head, neck and upper
surface colors that are heavily tinted brown and the fleshy eye ring is small
Because Diamond Doves are a delightful small dove that is easy to keep and
breed in captivity, we recommend this species as one that you consider for your
first dove experience. They are readily available from pet stores or breeders in
many
colors.
55
Colors of Diamond Doves
Blue White Rump Diamond
Dove
Blue (Normal) Diamond
Dove
Yellow White Tail Diamond
Dove
Brilliant
Diamond Dove
Silver White Tail
Diamond Dove
Peach
Diamond Dove
Blue White Tail Laced
Diamond Dove
Silver
Diamond Dove
Blue White Tail Diamond
Dove
Red
Diamond Dove
Blue Pied
Diamond Dove
Blue White Tail Pied
Diamond Dove
Ultimate Red
Diamond Dove
Yellow
Diamond Dove
56
Inca Dove
Inca Doves (Columbina inca) are small (6.5 inches in
length), and the male and females are similar. The bill is
black and there is a blue orbital ring around the eye. When
it flies, you can see cinnamon on the inner parts of the
primaires. The outermost tail feathers are white. It might be mistaken for
Mourning Doves or Common Ground Doves, but it has no dark spots on the
coverts. Inca doves eat seeds and are permanent residents where they live and
do not migrate. You will often see Inca Doves in urban areas.
57
Mourning Doves
Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) are one of the most common doves in the
United States, and can be seen commonly along roadsides, in fields, back yards
and at the feeder. Mourning doves are found in residential areas and open areas
where seed can be found on bare ground. They also like to be near a water
source such as a stream, pond, or river.
The mourning dove is a migratory species. They stay the winter in the Southern
United States and Central America and fly north in April and May. Flocks of
immature birds form in August and then they fly south in the latter part of
September and October. However some birds will over winter in the mid
latitudes, staying near creek bottoms and rivers
near fields that were used to produce grain in the
summers
Mourning Doves are about 11 inches long and the
head, neck and breast are pale buff-brown. The tail
is long and pointed with white tips on the outer four
tail feathers. they have a black bill and dark spots on the wing coverts. Juveniles
are all dark brown with mottled head neck and breast with a pale belly.
Mourning Doves are also game birds, so you may even find them on the dinner
table. The following map from the USGS shows the breeding distribution of the
Mourning Dove. Their range extends from North American through Central
American to Cuba and Panama.
58
There are also several subspecies identified as follows:
Z. macroura macroura - the nominate race inhabits Cuba, Isle of
Pines, and Hispaniola. It is smaller and darker in color than
Z.macroura carolinensis.
Z. macroura carolinensis - is found in Eastern U.S. and is the
Linneaus sub-species.
Z. macroura marginella - the Woodhouse sub-species occurs in
Western North America and tends to be slightly paler in color.
Z. macroura tesmariae - from the Tres Marias Islands off Western
Mexico - has darker buff on the head.
Z. macroura clarionensis - found on Clarion Island off Western
Mexico, larger and darker.
The Mourning Dove is a short distance migrant and in one study in Illinois the
researchers found that about 2% of the birds over-wintered, but many died if the
weather turned very cold. For those that migrated south, many returned to the
same nesting grounds where they were hatched the following year. Many
traveled as far away from Illinois as Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and
Louisiana, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala. Generally, they winter in the
southern United States and Central America and fly north in April and May.
Flocks of immature birds form in August and return south in the latter part of
September and October. Some birds over winter in the mid latitudes, staying
near creek bottoms and rivers and grain fields.
Doves and will breed in many different habitats -including urban environments. They select a variety
of trees to nest in, and may even nest on ledges of
buildings or porches or old nests from other types
of birds. The nest is built out of twigs and the clutch size (number of eggs laid) is
59
two. The first egg is laid in the afternoon, although the second egg may be laid
the following morning or the day after that. They are incubated for 13 to 14 days
by both parents before they hatch. And then the young birds are in the nest for
an additional 12 to 15 days.
Mourning Doves eat seeds almost entirely. They feed their young with Crop Milk
for the first few days like other doves, and then begin to feed them more and
more seeds.
Because the Mourning Dove is a native migrating species, it is protected and you
cannot keep them in captivity without a permit. If you want to study and watch
them in the wild, do so -- but do not try to capture and keep them in cages as it is
against the law.
** BBS Limit Breeding Bird Survey. This survey is typically performed in June by volunteers on over 4000 bird counts. The counts
are done by vehicle during the morning. Many nocturnal or less vocal species are not well surveyed by the BBS. Data from this
survey is used to generate the CBC maps.
60
Red-billed Pigeon
Red-billed Pigeons (Columba flavirostris ) are larger birds, being over 11
inches in length - about the same size as a domestic pigeon. They are found
from southern Texas through Sonora in the west and southward through the
coastal lowlands of Mexico all the way to central Costa Rica, including the entire
Yucatan Penninsula. Red-billed Pigeons eat primarily nuts and fruit. The clutch
size is reported to be only 1 egg. They have dark plumage, and the bill is red at
the base only.
61
White-crowned Pigeon
The White-crowned Pigeon (Columba leucocephala) is about 11
inches and both male and female are similiar. It has dark slategray plumage and a conspicuous white crown. The nape is
iridescent green in the adults.
This beautiful pigeon is from the Caribbean and Mexico, but
reaches the U.S. only in southern Florida where it can be found in
the Everglades and Florida Keys. The species has been the victim of habitat loss
in the Florida Keys and throughout the Caribbean. It is found most often in the
Greater Antilles and the Bahamas with scattered distributions in the Yucatan
Peninsula in Mexico, Panama, and the Lesser Antilles. It is a resident of Ria
Lagartos, a Mexican IBA on coastal Yucatan. Over most of its range, the species
is declining. It remains stable or only slightly declining, however, in Florida and
Jamaica.
White-crowned pigeons nest on mangrove islands and feed in evergreen and
semi-evergreen woodlands. This species is a frugivore or fruit eater. Being
partially nomadic, White-crowned Pigeon can fly great distances over water and
they island hop in the Bahamas and Florida Keys in search of food. Breeding
commences in July and August with small clutches of about 2 eggs. Nests are
well concealed as they are located in dense mangrove thickets. Up to three
broods are possible in one season.
Habitat loss is currently the number one threat to this species. Historically,
hunting took great tolls on the Florida population. Caribbean populations in the
Bahamas and Cuba are still feeling these effects. Pesticide use in the Keys for
mosquito control also impacted the species.
62
According to the Audubon Society of Florida, habitat acquisition has been made
the number one priority of the Conservation and Recreational Lands program in
Florida. They have proposed that all forest fragments greater than five hectares
be purchased and preserved for the protection of the state-listed (threatened)
White-crowned Pigeon. Audubon of Florida acts as Trustee for the Florida Keys
Environmental Restoration Trust Fund, an entity devoted to the restoration,
enhancement and management of Florida Keys natural areas which provide
habitat for White-crowned Pigeons. Hunting limitations have been employed in
the Bahamas to restrict tourists from hunting. Analysis of these measures has not
been documented in the Bahamas, but the pigeons have responded well to
habitat preservation and protection from hunting in Florida. This species is also
listed as threatened in Mexico.
63
White-Winged Dove
The White-winged Dove is known as (Zenaida asiatica) and
is also LA PALOMA of Mexico and the southwestern United
States and Florida. It is found as far south as western South
America. It prefers woodlands with some under-story, and
Mesquite is a very important nesting tree. White-wing Doves
are about 10 inches in length, and the males and females are similar. The young
birds are very much like the adults from the time they fledge. This is a large
chunky dove with a long black bill. The most distinguishing characteristic is a
bold white wing patch formed by very pale secondary coverts. The neck is
slightly purplish and iridescnet and the eye has a pale blue orbital ring. The long
tail is slightly rounded and looks like it has "white corners" when the bird flies. It
is a popular game bird in the southwest. It is listed as a short distance migrant by
the USGS, but wintering birds from Arizona have been recorded from the Pacific
Coastal plain of Mexico. It eats almost exclusively seeds. As in most dove
species, the clutch size is 2 eggs with the incubation recorded as 13 to 14 days
and the nestling period of 13 to 16 days.
64
Rock Dove
The Rock Dove (Columba livia) is commonly is referred to
as a pigeon. The original range was from northern Europe
and Scotland south to northern Africa and east to Iran. The
wild bird is gray and weighs about 8 oz. There are many
variations in color within this range, and from these many
variations and mutations have been developed. Patterns of
blue to gray color vary from bird to bird. The wild Rock Dove generally has
iridescent feathers on its head and neck. They also characteristically have two
black bars across each wing, a white rump and a black band at the end of the
bill. There may be as many as 28 pigeon color types, called "morphs," but Project
Pigeon Watch groups them into just seven morphs. Pigeons also have colorful
neck feathers. These iridescent green, yellow, and purple feathers are called
"hackle." Adult males and females look alike, but a male’s hackle is more
iridescent than a female’s.
The Rock Dove apparently was the first bird to be domesticated about 4500 B.C.
Their outstanding homing capabilities, using the sun or the earth's magnetic field
to return to their home lofts, gained for them a long and rich history of delivering
messages, including during the times of Caesar and Napoleon. Pigeons were
used by the Roman Army and many other armies, including during World War I
and II as they carried valuable messages. There have been many wartime
heroes with wings. And today, you may find pigeons in use by police
departments in India and other countries. They were used as recently as the
Gulf War, and the Swiss army has messenger pigeons working. In the Grand
Canyon, pigeons are used at this time by a white-water rafting outrigger in
Colorado to ferry undeveloped film canisters in special backpacks down a
mountain so that printed photos can be purchased by the outrigger's clients.
65
This pigeon was first introduced into North America by the French at Port Royal,
Nova Scotia in 1606. Rock Doves have flourished in large cities throughout the
world including North, Central and South America, the Hawaiian Islands and
parts of the West Indies. Rock Doves prefer cities, towns and rural areas and
generally wherever humans are close by. They are not migratory.
The modern racing or homing pigeon was developed in
Belgium in the 1800's and the sport of racing soon spread
north to Great Britain and throughout Europe. Wonderful
strains were developed and then improved as the racing
pigeons spread to Canada, the United States and across the world. It is from
racing pigeons that White Release Doves were bred. To learn how to start your
own White Dove Release Business, visit www.whitedoveceremony.com. And
consider joining the International White Dove Society at
www.whitedovesociety.com The average airspeed of a racing pigeon is around
50 miles per hour although the actual ground speed may vary depending on the
wind encountered. For example, a tail wind may ground speed, while a head
wind may slow the ground speed
Feeding:
Rock Doves are very adaptable birds. They are able to exploit the many
advantages that urban areas have to offer. They feed not only on grain, green
leaves and invertebrates, but also on the goodies that people provide such as
bread crumbs, popcorn, peanuts and cake. Individuals may sample several
feeding sites, and they might even settle temporarily in an area should the
availability of food be especially good.
Breeding:
Another advantage of the "city life" is the presence of
building ledges, rafters, beams and bridged. Rock Doves
will build nests of sticks, twigs and grasses in these areas or
in naturally occurring cliffs or caves. They prefer to breed
66
and roost in groups since they are quite social. Rock Doves are paired
monogamously for life. Both the male and the female guard the nest and
incubate one or two white eggs, with several clutches per year. The incubation
period lasts about 18 days. The hatchlings are helpless, blind and downy. Both
parents feed the young within two hours of their hatching with regurgitated "crop
milk" , a high fat, high protein, cheesy product produced by the adults. They are
closely brooded for seven days by attentive parents. The young are able to fly 35
to 37 days after hatching
Today pigeons are raced in clubs worldwide. The races are divided into two
classes, old birds and young birds. Old birds are any bird born prior to December
31st of the previous year and Young Birds are those born in the current year. At
a race, the birds are transported to a start point and then each bird flies to its own
loft and the distance time is from the race point as the birds are clocked into their
home lofts.
Young birds are banded with either club or federation bands. These are
seamless metal bands (sometimes coated with plastic that contain the following
information: the current year, the initials of the federation i.e. AU for the American
Homing Union, the initials of the club that sells them and a number (up to 8
digits) These bands are placed over the youngsters foot in the nest and as they
grow the band cannot be removed so they represent a permanent record. We
recommend that all doves be banded so their age and lineage is known.
Cages:
Pigeons do best in lofts which are small buildings built especially to
accommodate the flock. There is usually a landing platform so that they can
enter the loft when they return home.
67
Distribution of Wild Rock Doves in the United States:
** BBS Limit Breeding Bird Survey. This survey is typically performed in June by volunteers on over 4000 bird counts. The counts
are done by vehicle during the morning. Many nocturnal or less vocal species are not well surveyed by the BBS. Data from this
survey is used to generate the BBS maps.
68
PIGEONS (AB) USED DURING WARS
One can always observe pigeons on pictures with Kamadeva, one of the oldest
Hindu love gods. Christian religion tells the story of Noah who sent a dove 3
times to look for a dry piece of land.
Little dove statues were found, made 5000 years before our
era. The statues have a striking resemblance to modern
race pigeons.
Greek and Roman history writers quote pigeons. Pigeons
informed the home front on victories and defeats of kings
and generals. Pigeons were the newsmen between Iraq and
at that time Syria in the 12th century. Sultans built pigeon houses. Belgian and
Dutch newspapers depended for a great deal on pigeons for their information.
Napoleon's defeat in the battle of "Waterloo" was reported to England by Nathan
Rothschild's pigeons.
World War I
During World War I some actions were undertaken after that
forces were informed by photos taken by military pigeons.
German forces took possession of more than one million
Belgian race pigeons.
69
A war memorial in Brussels reminds us of the military
pigeons and their fanciers who died during the war. There is
also a war memorial in Lille (France) that reminds us of the
more then 20.000 military pigeons that were killed during the
war.
Airplanes and war-ships were always
accompanied by military pigeons.
Military pigeons brought 717 tidings of
crashed airplanes at sea. 95% of the
military pigeons returned from their
missions. All 72 pigeons returned to
their destination during the offensive
of Aisne - Marne. They brought 78
important tidings. 442 pigeons were
used during the offensive of Mense Argonne, they brought 403 tidings.
Many birds were badly injured. Some
of the most famous military pigeons
were Cher Ami, President Wilson, Big
Tom, Colonel's Lady, Steady, Lord
Adelaine, The Mocker and Spike.
"Cher Ami" was the last hope of a New York
battalion. Many pigeons were already killed. Cher
Ami reached his loft although he was wounded
very badly. He saved 194 lives of the "Lost
Battalion". Once in America, he became the
mascot of the Department of Service.
70
"The Mocker" was born in 1917. He was wounded
on his 52nd mission. He lost his left eye and a part
of his cranium. The Mocker died on the June 15,
1937.
"President Wilson" was injured and lost his talon on November
5, 1918. It seemed impossible that the bird could reach his
destination, but he saved the lives of many surrounded
American infantrymen. Wilson died on June 8, 1929.
"Spike" was born in January 1918. He flew 50 missions and
was never injured. Spike died on April 11, 1935.
Many pigeons moved to America after the war. One of the most famous German
pigeons was the "Kaiser". He was born in 1917 and was trained for special
missions. The Kaiser was captured in 1918 by American forces in the battle of
the Meuse. He was a very clever and beautiful bird and had many descendants
who proved their intelligence in the races. The Kaiser died when he was 32 (yes
thirty-two) years old.
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World War II
British and American museums are full of memories of our flying heroes. Pigeons
were decorated and buried with military honor. Visitors can admire military
pigeons with names as Lord Adelaide, President Wilson, Julius Caesar, Lady
Astor, Jungle Joe and Burma Queen. They were brave soldiers holding the rank
of captain. There were more then 3000 soldiers and 150 officers of the United
States Pigeon Service to take care of 54.000 military pigeons.
Some of those pigeons were trained to fly at night, they went together with the
field - post, paratroopers and submarines and made pictures of the enemy's fleet,
troops and targets for air attacks.
One of the most well known military pigeons was GI Joe. He accomplished his
missions in Italy. GI Joe was honored in London by Lord Mayor with the Dickin
Medal of Gallantry.
The Royal Canadian Air Force had two successful military pigeons, the "10601"
and the "120". The 10601 was born in 1928 and flew it's missions mostly from
submarines. He accomplished all his missions but was killed by a bird of prey.
The "120" flew from Sasaginigek Lakes in very bad circumstances and struck a
radio wire.
Snow White had a successful flight in Berlin during heavy bombardments. She
flew from Hamburg to different lofts. Later on, she flew missions in Italy. Snow
White was honored with the "Military Cross".
Ruhr Express was dropped behind German lines and had to race for about 300
miles (480 km) to it's loft. Ruhr Express brought important information.
Scotch Lass was dropped with a secret agent in the Netherlands on the early
morning of September 12, 1944. He reached England with 38 micro photos
although he was wounded.
72
One of the most famous English military pigeons was Mary, she was 22 times
wounded. She flew during 5 years for the Allied Powers and was killed in action.
Later her body was found, covered with wounds.
It seems that the military pigeons of those days were stronger and had a greater
tenacity then our modern race pigeons. The military pigeons had to accomplish
their duty in the most difficult circumstances: bad weather, flying at night,
different home lofts, shower of bullets ....! All pigeons (AB) used during the wars
are heroes. Pigeons are more trustworthy than modern technology. We can take
them everywhere we go, they will always accomplish their duty. Animals never
betray.
A complete list of pigeons awarded
"THE DICKENS MEDAL"
NEHU.40.NS.1 - Blue Check. Hen "Winkie"
MEPS.43.1263 - Red Check. Cock "George"
SURP.41.L.3089 - White Hen "White Vision"
NPS.41.NS.4230 - "Beachbomber"
NPS.42.31066 - Grizzle Cock "Gustav"
NPS.43.94451 - Dark Check. Cock "Paddy"
NURP.36.JH.190 - Dark Check. Hen "Kenley Lass"
NURP.38.EGU.242 - Red Check. Cock "Commando"
NPS.42.NS.44802 - Dark Check. Cock "Flying Dutchman"
NURP.40.GVIS.453- Blue Cock "Royal Blue"
NURP.41.A.2164 - "Dutch Coast"
NPS.41.NS.2862 - Blue Cock "Navy Blue"
NPS.42.NS.15125 - Mealy Cock "William of Orange"
NPS.43.29018 - Dark Check. Cock "Ruhr Express"
NPS.42.21610 - B.C. Hen "Scotch Lass"
NU.41.HQ.4373 - Blue Cock "Billy"
NURP.39.NRS.144 - Red Cock "Cologne"
NPS.42.36392 - "Marquis"
73
NPS.42.NS.7542 41.BA.2793 - "Broad Arrow"
NURP.39.SDS.39 - "All Alone"
NURP.37.CEN.335 - "Mercury"
NURP.38.BPC.6 DD.43.T.139 DDD.43.Q.879 NURP.41.SBC.219 - Cock "Duke of Normandy"
NURP.43.CC.2418 - B.C. Hen
NURP.40.WLE.249 - "Mary"
NURP.41.DHZ.56 - "Tommy"
42.WD.593 - "Princess"
USA.43.SC.6390 - "G. I. Joe"
The Story of Cher Ami
During World War I, a pigeon named Cher Ami, which means "dear friend" in
French, saved the lives of many members of what has become known as the
"Lost Battalion," part of New York’s 77th Division of the U.S. Army.
During a battle in France, the battalion was cut off from the rest of the Allied
troops. The soldiers found themselves surrounded by the enemy. Suddenly, they
were being fired on by their own artillery who didn’t know they were there!
74
They tried sending a message to their fellow troops by pigeon. The message
read, "Many wounded. We cannot evacuate." But the pigeon carrying the
message was shot down. They sent out a second bird with a message that read,
"Men are suffering. Can support be sent?" That pigeon was shot down, too.
One homing pigeon was left—Cher Ami—the battalion’s last hope. The final
message was, "Our artillery is dropping a barrage on us. For heaven’s sake, stop
it!" The men watched as Cher Ami was released. They saw him fly up and then
saw him shot down. Miraculously, in a moment’s time this bird was airborne
again. Hopes soared. But, as he flew over enemy fire, Cher Ami had a leg shot
off. A bullet hit his breast. Still, this bird kept flying. Though severely injured, Cher
Ami finally got through to U. S. forces with the life-saving message. The shooting
stopped. Many lives were saved.
At the end of the war, Cher Ami and more than 40 other pigeons were sent back
to the United States and honored for their brave service. They were well cared
for until they died. Cher Ami’s preserved body can be seen in Washington, D.C.,
at the Smithsonian Institution.
75
76
Part IV
Appendix
77
78
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a dove and a pigeon?
The term "dove" refers to the small and medium-sized birds while large-sized
birds in the family Columbidae usually go by "pigeon." In some species these
terms are applied interchangeably. Doves and pigeons are often considered to
be "game birds" as many species have been hunted and used for food in many
of the countries in which they are native. Because of their colorful plumage and
wonderful sounds and temperament, pigeons and doves are very popular
choices for bird lovers to keep as pets and as displays.
Generally speaking, doves and pigeons are also divided into two large groups–
the seedeaters and the fruit-eaters. The so-called fruit pigeons as a general rule
do not breed as prolifically as the seed eating species. Moreover, they require
soft food in the form of boiled rice mixed with chopped fruit, whereas seed-eaters
require little else than various grains and occasional mealworms and a little
mynah-bird food. Fruit-pigeons are not usually suitable for small aviaries since
their copious soft dropping, unless frequently removed, are likely to cause an
unsightly, smelly mess. However, if large, spacious enclosures are available for
them, they are likely to do quite well in them. Seed eating doves are wonderful in
aviaries, and many species are very easy to keep and breed.
How many breeds of doves are there?
There are about 300 species of doves and pigeons in the world. They are found
on every continent naturally except Antarctica. .
What species of doves are easy to breed and keep for a novice?
Dove species that are especially recommended for the novice are Ring-neck
Doves and Love Doves (Streptopelia risoria), Diamond Doves (Geopelia
cuneata) and Rock Doves (Columba livia).
79
Do all doves coo?
Yes, but each species sounds a little different. Peruvian ground doves
(Columbina cruziana) sound like small croaking frogs. Black-wing ground doves
(Metriopelia melanopter) chirp like birds. Several species come close to
singing. Zebra doves are very much musical, black-winged ground doves chirp,
and Peruvian ground doves croak. Each species has its own unique coo! There
are several species available to listen to in the species listings.
What’s a dove Hybrid?
Hybrids are young of parents from two different species (i.e. a Ring-neck Dove
(Streptopelia risoria) and a European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur); they are
different species, but belong to the same genus. It may be possible to get two
very closely related species to interbreed, but this is generally not a good idea.
Can I make pets out of wild doves?
Not a good idea because most native species are protected by Federal Law and
require permits. Stiff fines can be imposed.
How long do doves live?
In the wild, life-spans are short -3 to 5 years. In captivity doves can live to be 12
to 15 years old. It is not uncommon to hear of some doves living beyond 20
years. Love Doves will live to be about 10 years of age.
What do doves eat and what should I feed my captive dove?
Most doves are seedeaters, but some eat fruit and vegetables. Read the species
accounts for each type of dove to learn what to feed the dove that you have.
Are mealworms good for doves?
Mealworms are an excellent source of vitamins, however they should be fed
sparingly; too many can cause fatty liver disease.
How many times a day should I feed my doves?
Some dove owners leave lots of seed available for their doves. Others separate
80
the seed in separate containers, and it is hoped that the doves will select their
favorite seed first, but later learn to eat a balanced diet of seeds. I recommend
feeding once a day -- but if there are young birds in the cage, make sure they
have seed available at all times.
What vitamins do doves need?
A small amount of cod liver oil and brewers yeast on the seed once a week will
provide valuable vitamins, or use prepared vitamins in the water one or 2 days a
week.
What type of containers should be used?
Small seed hoppers, trays, and dishes all can be used as seed feeders. Keep
feed containers away from places where they can be soiled by droppings.
Sterilize seed dishes regularly. Cleanliness is extremely important to keep doves
healthy.
How do I keep water fresh?
Change the water often. One or two drops of bleach in a gallon of water will keep
water free of algae. Keep water fountains away from perches. Covered water
fountains are best in keeping droppings out of the water.
What type of aviary should doves be kept in?
The largest one you can afford! The ideal aviary should not have less than 10
cubic feet per pair for small doves and double that for large species. If you are
keeping one pair of Love Doves for breeding, a cage 2 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet will
suffice. However, when the babies arrive, you may need to move them to a
second cage.
Can I keep other avian species with doves?
Yes, compatible species can be kept together in a roomy aviary. Compatibility is
important; even gentle species can have individuals that are aggressive. Observe
your doves to see if they are living together harmoniously. During breeding, even
gentle species can be quite aggressive to ward other doves and males may fight
81
and pull feathers from each other. Aggressive species need to be kept to one
pair per aviary. Love Doves do best when there is just one pair per cage for
breeding as the males will fight.
Can doves be kept outdoors during the winter?
It depends on where you live and the type of dove. Most species can be
sheltered outside as long as the aviary is dry, insulated, draft free, and located in
a sunny location and the weather is not too severe. Love Doves will do well even
when it freezes lightly, but they should have lots of shelter that is dry and draft
free. If it stays cold for long periods, provide a heat source.
What type of floor should I have in my dove aviary?
Aviary floors can be wooden and off the ground, cement, or dirt.
What size wire should be used for fly-pens or flights?
Wire for dove aviaries should be 1/2 inch or smaller. Welded 1/2 inch wire is a
good choice and is exceptionally strong and rigid, preventing the most
determined predator from gaining entry.
Should flights have solid roofs?
Yes! Cover your flights with at least a clear, corrugated plastic roofing material.
This material allows lots of light but prevents birds of prey from terrorizing your
doves during the day and from cats, possums, etc. at night. It also prevents wild
bird droppings from contaminating the flight.
What direction should a dove aviary face?
Again it depends on how your yard is situated... trees for shade, shelter from the
wind, etc. As a general rule, the aviary should face south or southeast. If you
have a cage in the house, place it in a quiet corner out of the main traffic area.
How do I sex Doves?
Some species of doves are easy to sex, being dimorphic (males are a different
color or pattern than females). Vent sexing is not always reliable. Some species
82
are so alike that surgical or DNA sexing is the answer. Male doves are usually
larger, brighter, and bolder than hens. Love Doves are very similar between the
sexes. When breeding begins, you will see the males bowing and cooing to the
hens. At that time, put a band on the male and you will be able to tell them apart.
How old do doves have to be before breeding/pairing takes place?
Sexual maturity usually occurs from 5 to 8 months in most species. Love Doves
are mature at about 5 months.
Do doves mate for life?
Doves mate or bond for life, until one of the partners dies. Then the survivor will
seek another mate. Occasionally in an aviary, doves will switch partners between
seasons.
How many eggs do doves lay?
Most doves lay two eggs; some species only lay one. Wild doves are notorious
for infertile eggs and your Love Doves may have infertile eggs too. The egg
does not hatch within ____ days, remove it from the nest.
How long does it take a dove to have babies?
Here are some of the incubation periods and nestling periods of several species
of dove:
# of eggs
Incubation Period
Nestling Period
Pigeon or Rock Doves
2
18 -20
27 -35
Diamond Doves
2
11 -15
10
Ring-neck Doves
2
12-14
12-14
Love Doves
2
12-14
12-14
Common Ground Dove
2
12-14
11
White-winged Dove
2
13-14
13-16
Mourning Doves
2
13-14
12-15
Band-tailed Pigeon
1
16-17
25-27
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Why do some doves abandon their eggs or young?
Abandoning eggs may be due to biting pests (lice, mites), noises that frighten
brooding birds, or overcrowding and fighting. Frightened doves will abandon
young, or if the nest is disturbed in any way, parents may refuse to care for the
young. Some species will tolerate more disturbance than others. Love Doves will
let you check the nest if they are used to being handled. If they appear to be
disturbed by your intrusion, let them be. I try not to check the nest during the first
week of incubation.
How can I save abandoned dove babies?
Hand-feeding formulas are available from pet shops, feed stores, etc. Small
feeding syringes are available from veterinarians or you can make your own.
What are some of the most common signs that a dove is ill?
Generally doves are seldom sick. Appearing fluffed up or droopy, having watery
green droppings are some common signs of illness. Upon seeing a dove that
looks and acts sick, isolate it and put it under a heat source (40 watt bulb). Heat
is vital for a sick dove. If it is not eating, feed it hand-feeding formula and take it
to an avian veterinarian.
What causes a seemingly healthy dove to suddenly die?
Unless you have the bird posted, it’s anyone’s guess. Sudden heart failure,
becoming frightened and hitting the wall could be some possible reasons.
What do I do for an egg-bound hen?
Occasionally a hen will have a hard time passing her egg out of her cloaca. She
will usually appear very uncomfortable and sit fluffed up on the perch or bottom
of the cage. An egg-bound hen can be placed under a heat source such as a 40
watt bulb. Drop a few warm (not hot) drops of mineral oil on her cloaca. Do not
attempt to manipulate the egg out. Leave the hen alone!
How do I know if my doves have worms?
Worm-infested doves show anemia, rapid emaciation and listlessness. Death
84
due to severe worm infestation is not uncommon. Have the droppings analyzed
by a lab.
Can catching doves injure them?
Yes, Be careful netting doves; many doves are severely injured or killed by the
ring or handle of the net, or die of stress. Be sure to hold the wings over the body
so they don't flap while you are holding your Love Dove. DO NOT hold your
dove tightly because it must be able to move its body to breathe. You can
actually suffocate your bird by holding it tightly.
How do I locate an avian veterinarian?
Avian veterinarians are usually listed in bird magazines. Also call and ask your
local bird club for recommendations. Locate a vet before you really need one!
How do I get rid of lice?
Lice are parasites that can make birds very uncomfortable. Controlling lice is
simple; dust nests and aviary with poultry lice powder.
What other pests can affect doves?
Doves can be infected with lice, mites, and other biting blood-sucking bugs. Wild
birds are the main source of contamination. Newly introduced doves should
always be checked for parasites. Sterilizing nests, using poultry lice powder and
spraying the aviary with approved avian sprays will keep parasites at bay.
How do I get rid of mice/rats in the aviary?
Mice and rats are difficult to eradicate. Preventing these pests from gaining
entrance into an outdoor aviary is crucial. Small wire netting should be buried a
minimum of 18 inches below the ground level. Places where mice and rats hide
should be eliminated. Leaving lots of uneaten seed encourages these pests.
Prevention is important. Once pests gain entrance, traps or poisons can be used.
Follow manufacturers’ directions, especially with poison.
85
Can I spray (insecticide) in the aviary?
This is probably not a good idea. If you have the need, sterilize the aviary with a
dilute solution of bleach or iodine and keep it clean of droppings.
What is the smallest dove?
The Pygmy Ground Dove (Columbina minuta) is the smallest dove and is
common in Mexico and South America. The male is greyish brown with steelblue marks. The hen is plain gray-olive, with whitish under parts. The tail is short
and rounded. The Diamond Dove is a very small dove that is commonly kept as a
pet. The Love Dove is a medium sized dove.
What is the largest dove?
Victoria Crowned Pigeons (Goura vistoria) are the giants of the dove world.
Distinguished by a large, striking crest, this is an absolutely imposing bird! Over 2
1/2 feet long, it is the size of a hen turkey. It is bluish gray, with a broad grayishwhite apical band, and a black band that runs from the lores to the postocular
region. Wing coverts are a dark chestnut, with bright red eyes. This elegant
pigeon is from New Guinea and the Wester Islands.
What are fruit doves?
Fruit doves belong to a special group (Treroninae), unlike seedeating doves
(Columbidae). All live on trees and feed on soft fruits and berries. Fruit doves are
strikingly beautiful and as colorful as their nearest relatives - the parrots. Fruit
doves are found in tropical areas of the Old World.
Why do I need a permit or license to keep some species of doves?
Federal law requires that any native North American doves cannot be legally kept
for whatever reason without securing a permit from the Fish and Game
Department. (Residents of other areas of the world should check with the
government for specific regulations.) You do not need a permit for Love Doves.
86
Why are my doves so wild?
Doves are preyed upon by people in most countries including the United States.
Many caged doves are one or two generations removed from the wild, but they
still have an instinctive fear of humans.
Can I exhibit my foreign doves at bird shows?
You can, but doves are often so stressed that they literally take months to
recover from such an ordeal before breeding again. You also risk bringing home
diseases. Some shows require that birds be close banded to prove their age.
Should I bathe my doves?
Doves bathe naturally in the rain or enjoy a fine mist of water from a hose. Most
doves (pigeons excepted), will not bathe in a water-filled container. Some
ground-dove species enjoy dust baths. Love Doves do not usually bath in a pan
of water, but you could spray them with a hand spritzer.
Are there clubs or organizations for doves?
One of the newest is the International White Dove Society at
www.whitedovesociety.com . They have a terrific Online Journal to keep you up
to date on all aspects of white doves. The winter edition of 2006 features Love
Doves. The American Dove Association caters to domestic Ring-neck Dove and
Diamond Dove breeders and fanciers. Foreign (exotic) doves are also gaining
popularity and are a focus of this organization. The American Dove Association
provides six DoveLine newsletters a year, a membership and breeders directory
which lists species and colors kept by members, provides networking of
members around the world, and sponsors a National Young Bird Show each
year. The Canadian Dove Association’s membership is also open to United
States dove fanciers. It caters to mostly foreign doves, as well as domestics.
There are also local and regional dove clubs around the world.
Can I let my doves have free flight?
Not unless you have release doves or homing pigeons. Most species have no
87
instinct to return to their aviary, regardless if they were born and raised there.
Love Doves must NOT BE RELEASED. They will fly away and probably die
because they have very little instinct for survival in the wild.
Anatomy of Birds
abdomen: Ventral part of the bird. Also known as the belly.
alula: Three feathers springing from the base of the primaries. Synonym(s):
alular quills.
altricial birds: Hatched naked, blind and helpless, requiring feeding by their
parents. Doves are altricial.
auricular: Area around ear opening or ear patch.
axillary: Ventral area between the body and the wing, or wingpit.
breast: Front part of the chest.
cere: The cere is the fleshy covering on the upper part of a beak. It is may be
different colors according to species, age, sex and color variations.
cheek: Area bounded by lore,
eye, auricular, and lower
mandible.
cock: an adult male dove or
pigeon
collar: Rear portion of crown.
Synonym(s): nape, hindneck.
crest: Tuft on the head.
crissum: Feathers covering underside of base of tail. Synonym(s): undertail
coverts.
crown: Top of the head.
culmen: Upper ridge on bill.
ear patch: Area around ear opening. Synonym(s): auricular.
88
fledgling: a bird that has left the nest
flight feathers: primaries and secondaries.
gular region: Between the chin and the foreneck.
hatchling or nestling: a newly hatched pigeon or dove still in the nest
hen: an adult female dove
iris the colored part of the eye
juvenile: a bird out of its nest and flying but less than eight months old
lore: Area between the eye and the bill.
mantle: Upper surface of the wings and the back.
nape: Back of the neck. Synonym(s): hindneck, collar.
operculum: Swollen structure in pigeons overarching the nostril. See Cere.
precocial chicks: Hatch with a good covering of down and are capable of
following their parents and eating on their ownfrom an early age. An example is a
chicken.
primaries: Flight feathers attached to the "hand".
primary coverts: Feathers protecting and covering the primaries.
rectices: Conspicuous feathers forming posterior margin of tail.
rictus: Base of the bill where the mandibles join.
scapulars: Area of feathers between the back and the wings.
secondaries: Flight feathers attached to the "elbow".
secondary coverts: Feathers protecting and covering the secondaries.
spectacle: Eye ring and supraloral line together.
Squab: a young pigeon from 1–30 days old.
subterminal band: Stripe before tip of tail.
tail: Feathers extending from the rear of the bird.
tail coverts: Under and uppertail coverts.
tarsus: Part of the leg between the knee and the foot.
terminal band: Stripe at tip of tail.
under parts: Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
undertail coverts: Feathers covering underside of base of tail. Synonym(s):
crissum.
89
wing bars: Pale tips of greater and median secondary coverts.
wing coverts: Primary and secondary coverts.
wing stripe: Paler area at base of flight feathers.
wingpit: Ventral area between the body and the wing. Synonym(s): axillary.
90
References
Bancroft, G. T. and Bowman, R. 2001. White-crowned Pigeon (Columba
leucocephala). In The Birds of North America, No. 596(A. Poole and F. Gill,
eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American
Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D. C.
Brown, Danny, "Diamond Dove, Geopila cuneata", A Guide to Pigeons, Doves &
Quail, Their Management, Care & Breeding, South Tweeds Heads, Australia:
Australian Birdkeeper 1995, pp. 114-117
Cottam, C & Trefethen, J. B. Whitewings: The Life History, Status and
Management of the White-wined Dove. 1968. D. Van Nostrand Co. Inc
Ehrlich, P., Dobkin, D., and Wheye, D. (1988). The Birders Handbook: A Field
Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds. New York: Simon and
Schuster Inc.
Elphick, John B. Dunning, Jr. and David Allen Sibley. 2001. The Sibley Guide to
Bird Life & Behavior. National Audubon Society. New York: Chanticleer Press,
Inc.
Gibbs, David; Barnes, Eustace; Cox, John "Diamond Dove", Pigeons and Doves,
A Guide to Pigeons and Doves of the World, London: Yale University Press
2001, pp. 311-312
Goodwin, D. 1977 Pigeons and Doves of the World Cornell University Press pp.
446
Gos, Michael W., Doves. Neptune City, NJ: T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1989, p. 8084
Gough, G.A., Sauer, J.R. Patuxent Bird Glossary. 1997. Patuxent Wildlife
Research Center, Laurel, MD. http://www.mbrpwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/Glossary/glossary.html
Integrated Taxonomic Information System, online Data System.
http://www.itis.usda.gov
Kaufman, K. 1996. Lives of North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company,
New York.
Keppe, Daniel M. and Clait E. Brown. 2000. Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba
fasciata). In The Birds of North America, No. 530 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.).
Ithaca: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural
Sciences; Washington, DC: The American Ornithologists' Union.
91
Miller, W. J. and Lotus S. Miller 1958 Synopsis of behaviour traits of the ring neck
dove. Animal Behaviour 6:3-8.
Naether, Carl A., Diamond Doves" Chapter 7 of Raising Doves and Pigeons.
New York: David McKay Company, Inc., 1979, pp. 94-99
Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York:
Western Publishing Company, Inc.
Sibley, D. A. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. National Audubon Society. New
York: Chanticleer Press, Inc.
Van Hoozier, Charlotte Cox, M.D. Diamond Doves: A Year in the Life of My
Diamonds, Abe and Sarah. P. O. Box 7043, Macon, GA 31209-7043: Doveland
Press, 2001, pp. 130
Vriends, Matthew M., PhD., Doves, A Complete Pet Owner's Manual. Happauge,
NY: Barrons Educational Series, Inc., 1994 , pp. 112
Websites
Lear how to start a white dove business: www.whitedoveceremony.com
International White Dove Society at www.whitedovesociety.org
http://www.nmnh.si.edu/vert/birds/birds.html Smithsonian National Museum of
Natural History
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/birds/ Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Information on Shipping birds: http://www.hm-e.net/po.htm
American Racing Pigeon Union, the National Pigeon Association
The Official Website of the American Dove Association
Continental Breeding station has a simplified health program for pigeons by Dr.
David Marx DVM. at www.cbspigeon.com/health.html
Global Pigeon Supplies (United States) http://www.globalpigeon.com
Stombergs: General poultry supplies http://www.strombergschickens.com/
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All About Love Doves - White Dove Ceremony

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