Q. What is the symbolism associated with a dove?

A. Peace on earth, love, hope, joy, comfort, faith, perseverance and strength, grace, purity, praise, goodwill to all, new beginning, unity, wealth, wisdom, honor, glory, fidelity. I’m sure there are other symbolisms associated with the dove. When you think of something perfect, a white dove comes to mind.

Q. What will happen to the doves after they’re released?

A. They will circle until they get their bearings and then they will fly back to their home in Marietta. We don’t release any bird that hasn’t been trained to fly the distance home.

Q. How do they know to return home?

A. Rock doves have been studied for many years it is said they navigate by being able to sense the earth's magnetic field. They also have very good eyesight and can see for miles. The birds cannot do this alone, a professional handler needs to train the doves slowly to enhance their natural homing ability.

Q. What happens to the doves if they get lost?

A. This is the most important question of all! We have two I.D. bands on all of our doves.

One band is a registration band with the American Racing Pigeon Union ( AU ) or International Federation of Pigeon Fanciers ( IF ) This band will show the year the bird was hatched and the registration number. It's kind of like the American Kennel Club. You can call the AU or look on their website. They can tell you who owns the bird along with contact information. The other band is our name and phone number. This makes it easier to locate us in case a bird goes down. We will come and pick up our bird and bring it home to safety.

Q. Does everyone put registration bands on their birds?

A. No! Please do not hire anyone who doesn’t band their birds. This should be the first question you ask when hiring a dove release company for your event. If the birds gets lost or hangs out around a church or reception hall, you could be held responsible for removing the birds. If someone doesn’t band their birds, they don’t care enough about the birds to make sure they are home safe after each release. All birds must have some form of an I.D. band. Although we have rescued lost birds, A Dove's Nest is not a lost bird rescue company. Without a band we can’t help you find the owner.

Q. How long will it take them to fly home?

A. The average time is 40 miles within an hour depending on the weather conditions. They usually fly nonstop until they get home.

Q. Will you release the doves at night?

A.  No. The doves can’t see very well at night and they are open to birds of prey such as owls.

We have to allow them enough time to fly home safely before dark. 

Q. Can I release a dove that I bought from a pet store?

A. No! Please don’t try it. The small white ring neck doves make great pets but they don’t have the homing instinct. Releasing them would be cruel.  They will fly to the nearest bush or tree and will stay there until they are rescued or fall prey to preditors.

Q. What if it rains the day of my event?

A. We don’t release the doves in bad weather; a sprinkle is o.k. but not a heavy downpour. We can offer you a dove display so you can still have the beauty of doves for your event or give you a full refund.