The History of the White Dove

The use of snow white doves at weddings can be traced back to ancient Greek and Roman times when the doves were gifts from the Bride to the Groom. Even in biblical passages, the appearance of the snow white dove came to symbolize holiness, innocence and fidelity. Building their nest together, the white dove falls in love and mates for life; Therefore, they are instintively drawn home where the safety of their nest and a loving mate awaits them. Like many couple today, they take turns caring for their younsters. They both sit and turn the eggs until they are hatched. Then share the responsibilities of feeding the babies and keeping them warm until they have feathers of their own. These traits have endeared them to us with an established place in romantic literature and art.

There are many types of doves. However, the two species that we commonly recognize to symbolize our love for one another is the snow white Ring Necked dove used by magicians and also found in pet stores. These birds should NEVER be released. They have poor flying ability, absolutely no homing instinct and if released into the wild will quickly starve or fall prey to predators. The white birds that we use for releases are actually white Rock Doves. They are not what most would refer to as "doves" but pigeons. The term "pigeon" actually is from the French language meaning "dove". It's important to realize that while doves and pigeons are part of the same family, unlike domestic doves, homing pigeons (Rock Doves) possess a natural "homing" instinct. These awesome athletes were developed over the last few hundred years using very selective breeding to augment their keen instinct to "home". This instinct is sharpened by intense training on a daily basis by a knowledgeable handler, which allows them to return safely to their loft following a release.

Our team of pure white "Rock Doves" receive the finest care to insure their health, safety and to insure their love of "home". Our family of birds has been developed using the finest stock of white racing pigeons from lofts across the country. Our birds are flown every day, weather permitting.

These magnificent birds cannot be released indoors nor can they be released in heavy winds, fog or rain. They must also be released within two hours before sunset depending upon the location of the ceremony and the current season of the year. This helps to ensure their safe return home before dark.  

Let the snow white doves be a part of your fairytale day and their magical beauty will create a memory that your quests will carry with them for a lifetime! To experience this magical, breath taking event call Calgary Ceremonial White Dove release today at (403) 948-0031 or email us at info@calgarywhitedoves.com