Answered Question

bpb

M$5 December 29, 2008 09:08 PM

Does anyone know how to tell if a dove is wild or domestic?

I found a beautiful dove at work and posted signs in the neighborhood in case it belongs to someone. I've yet to hear from anyone. In the meantime, I'm taking care of it. It does not appear to be ill, and seems to be able to fly (though I've only tested this in a limited sized room) yet prefers to walk about and explore items on the ground. Lately, it even coos! When the bird was found, it wouldn't fly (no apparent nest nearby), and in the 2 weeks
that I've cared for it, it does not show any signs of illness. Now the time has come to decide it's fate. But, how to tell whether this little one was originally from the wild or a pet? It will not be difficult to place it, as I am aware of a couple of wonderful homes that already have doves, but I am concerned about "caging" a previously wild bird. It doesn't seem fair, and yet I know that "kept" doves tend to live up to 5 times longer than wild ones. Any insight would be appreciated.

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albanian

December 29, 2008 10:05 PM

This question is impossible to answer unless you tell us where you live (as in country or state) and include a photo of the bird. There are many kinds of dove both wild and domestic, and many possible laws involved.

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• I appreciate your insight pertaining to our geographic location. It really put this bird's situation into perspective. I hope he'll be very happy in his new home. Thank you for your help.

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bpb

December 30, 2008 01:10 AM

We live in Los Angeles, California. The area where the dove was found is called Silverlake, a neighborhood/community in the north central portion of the city, complete with trees, hills, and other occasional wildlife. It is near Griffith Park, if that helps. The dove is perfectly white, and it has a ring of white around it's neck . There is no band around it's foot. I've worked at a rescue before (limited interaction with doves though), and I've never seen a dove that was as pristine, white, and gorgeous as this one. No flaws. No browned feathers. No signs of a difficult life.

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albanian

December 30, 2008 02:12 AM

This is certainly a domestic dove. There are no wild white doves in California. It could be a feral dove, which means a domestic dove that has escaped and begun to breed in the wild. Either way you are safe keeping it as a pet if you wish.
The most common wild dove in your area looks like this:http://www.ohio-nature.com/image-files/morning-dove-lg.jpg

This is a typical domestic dove: http://www.avianweb.com/images/birds/doves/ringneckdoves.jpg

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