Pet Dove Greets Human Every Night When She Comes Home Just Like a Dog

Though no longer a popular pet, doves (and, by extension, pigeons) were once one of the most ubiquitous domesticated animals in all of human history. They were first thought to have been kept as food animals in ancient Mesopotamia thousands of years ago, and pigeon (or as we call it today, squab) was a popular dish until the past century. Additionally, they were long retained for their superior skill in carrying messages. Genghis Khan had a pigeon network that crossed all of Eastern Europe and Asia, and carrier pigeons were used for this purpose up until the the 1940s, when modern telecommunications networks rendered them obsolete.

And yes, doves are in fact a type of pigeon, and are most often used today to refer to smaller, white versions of these common animal, which exist in endless breed variations, as most domesticated creatures do that have been developed for use by humans for different activities (think of meat cows vs. dairy cows). And they actually make excellent pets as well.

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There are many birds kept as pets who do not make good companion animals. Most tropical birds are not actually domesticated animals, just tame creatures captured in the wild as babies and trafficked through the exotic pet trade. Doves, on the other hand, have a long history of domestication. Even the urban pigeon found in today’s cities is a domesticated animal left to fend for itself, and had far more in common with a feral cat than with native songbirds.

Related: Rescued Dove's Instant Bond with Budgie Sibling Is So Pure and Heartwarming

The dove in this video is cooing happily as it hops to greet its owner at the end of the day. Atlas is a “tangerine pearl” coloration of a ring-necked dove.

Caring For Your Ring-Necked Dove

Doves are primarily seed eaters, and can eat parakeet seed mix as well as parakeet pellets. They should also be offered a variety of leafy greens such as kale, dandelion greens, and chicory. Additionally, they should be offered daily chances to bathe.

Doves must be given a wide cage in which they can fly around as well as many opportunities for freedom (as seen in this video) and a variety of perches. They are highly social birds who do well in pairs (Atlas has a friend named Peabody), and interactions with their owners. Remember, these are domesticated animals who have been part of human society for thousands of years.

Why Doves Make Better Pets Than Tropical Birds

Keeping doves has fallen out of fashion in the last century and far more people who have pet birds are keeping tropical types like parrots, parakeets, and even more exotic varieties.

But most of the birds you can buy as pets who are tropical parrots have been trapped and trafficked—occasionally illegally. They were literally stolen out of their nests in the wild.

Doves, on the other hand are domesticated animals. They are inexpensive and relatively easy to care for, and can be easily trained to perch. The cooing is often a far preferable sound to the squeaking of a parrot, and they often take to handling, especially by children, more readily than exotic birds.

And, as seen in this video, they have a sweet, affectionate personality. Do not overlook the dove!

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