Just Like The Ringneck Dove
 

I've been meaning to start this thread for a while. "Stevie vs. Reality," if you will. Livia's misheard song lyrics article gave me the idea to go ahead with it - so if you don't like it, it's all her fault. :D

My apologies if this ruins the song for you (given Stevie's choice of artwork and visuals over the years), but nevertheless:

White-Winged Dove:

http://www.birdsource.org/features/d...dDove280.1.jpg

Albino Ringneck Dove (aka Ringneck Dove - White Mutation):

http://www.dovepage.com/species/dome...otos/WhtRN.jpg

Not to be confused with the White Homing Pigeon:

http://hometown.aol.com/vmen121803/i...nfountain2.jpg

Those are damned fine birds, Nixxed. Damned fine.

The white homing pigeon is a joy. In that photo, he is tentatively considering taking a birdy bath; however he does not know the temperature of the water. He is thinking, "Dare I risk it?"

also, his little drumsticks are sticking out through his feathers. And he is also glancing surreptitiously at the photographer (though the photographer does not know it).

He is a thoughtful little avis.

Yeah. Last semester in Bio we were learning about genetics and we watched this video about these people that breed pigeons that look "just like the white-winged dove"

What an interesting observation. I can't tell if you're hungry or horny. ;)

I'm glad you liked the pics - these are just photos I nicked from the web for illustration purposes. I see WWDs daily on my bird feeder, but couldn't get a detailed enough shot.

Most white birds released at weddings and such are billed as white doves, but are actually white homing pigeons. Doves have no homing instinct and will die in the wild unless they are specially and very intensively trained to look for their handler and their cage at the release site. To get around this, unscrupulous types sometimes will drug them to facilitate easy re-capture after the release.

The WWDs in your pic are very prevalent in the southwest...and they really do say, "oooh (baby) ooooh, said ooooh." Their cooing is so cute. I love to sit in my backyard and listen to them talk to each other.

Madness. You learn something new every day.

"Just like the white homing pigeon" doesn't just have the same ring to it, though, does it? :cool:

"Just like the drugged homing pigeon"