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Pigeons and 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 or "Genera", which are types of
doves that are somewhat closely related. Then each Genus is divided into
specific species. Generally the smaller members are called doves while the
larger members of the family are pigeons.
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. Many can be
obtained to raise in captivity, but beware of capturing wild doves or keeping
them in a cage. A federal permit is usually required for caging native species.
As part of our education, we need to be familar with
some of the other doves and pigeons of the world, so we will present some of the
members of the wonderful family to you in this Online Journal.
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