Reasons Why I Love Having White Doves and Homing Pigeons in My Life...

Kathy of Doves of White near Sacramento, CA shares how her love for pigeons began:

“My husband built our loft over 25 years ago. He had pigeons as a kid, and thought the idea of racing homers was a swell idea. I didn't! And I couldn't believe the money he was putting into building this building...for pigeons! He got his first birds from some of the local flyers. A few had "prettier coloring," so I laid claim to a pied cock I dubbed Zipper. Zipper was fairly respectful in the races, so when another local flyer and pigeon judge gave us a foundation quality hen I took her as Zipper's mate. They had some super babies! Okay, so this racing idea was kind of fun.

Then another of Don's buddies suggested I get some white birds, and I could make some money doing wedding releases. So, I built a smaller loft, and he gave me 11 of my first white birds. There is almost a spiritual connection when seeing the birds and watching them fly; I was hooked.

A few years later, Don gave up on the idea of racing. So my white bird business moved up the hill to the big loft. I now have it stocked with plenty of the whites plus a few race bred birds. I'm still trying to "make some money" but the love I have for these special birds is here to stay.”

Macy of White Wings New York Dove Releases says:

“My story is so similar to Kathy's! I was laughing all the way through reading it; except whites kept coming our way. Hubby kept saying, “No way.”, “No room.”, “Whites would interfere with race birds.” etc., as he was big into racing then.

You know how it goes; odd happenings translate into being pushed in a certain direction. We finally relented, and we got our first white babies from a local guy that raised whites and trained them "for fun". I don't even remember how we knew him or found him. Things just fell into place like it was supposed to happen. He looked like Santa Claus, and that's how we referred to him. He worked locally, and my birds would fly over where he worked when I was training. He told me he got such a thrill seeing them flying. To this day his babies are still some of my best birds.”

Bill from Doves of Love in Pennsylvania recalls how he got started with pigeons:

“My father raised birds in the 1930’s, and actually flew some in WWII with the 101st Airborne. I had my first flock in the1950’s. I remember we would purchase them from the Sears and Roebuck catalog. I had fantails, rollers and a few racers, and I recall taking them to the train station for shipping. My pigeon days ended when a neighbor’s coon killed my entire flock. I was devastated, and stopped raising birds then.

I was away from the birds for 30 years when my mother thought it would be nice if my youngest son raised pigeons. We met a great pigeon flyer who flew with the Army’s Pigeon Corps. He provided us with birds and knowledge. Soon we were in a club, and my son was flying and actually doing quite well. The nearest club was over an hour away, so we had lots of time to bond. The birds were our life and love. We had over 100 homers, and they all had names.

My son grew older, and the birds were now in my care. I raced for years, and found more pleasure watching the birds come home than in winning. Gas prices went up, and my racing declined. A friend gave me a couple of white birds, and introduced us to wedding dove releases. My wife and I always strive for perfection when we do our dove releases. Our first release was from a lakeside gazebo, and we have been hooked ever since. We keep saying we need to stop flying, but the beauty of the birds in flight is breathtaking, and the thrill of the release never goes away.”

Frank, from Flights of White in Wilmington, Massachusetts tells how his lifelong love of pigeons was instilled:

“My story begins as a very young lad living in Rockland, Me. At high tide I was under the fishing wharfs taking the feral young pigeons just before flight. I built my own lofts for my birds, and got lots of left over grains to feed them from train boxcars after being unloaded. I loved the outdoor life, and the many creations our Lord blessed us with. Those were the days.

Then I saw my first argent Modenas, and it was love at first sight. The person who had them just returned from WW II. It was this man who took me under his wings, and taught me the genetics of the birds which gave them their different colorings.
After high school I went into the service, and this ended my first few years with birds.

After four years in the service I started my career with IBM, and then got married. I still had no birds in my life. I was relocated to MA, and it was here my love for the birds began anew. Of course, it had to be the argents once again.

My oldest son developed a love for the Modena breed, and for genetics. The spring and summer months were on the dull side for him until he met a couple of new friends who had racing homers. After speaking with his mother we began his racing side of the hobby. Anyway, after he grew up, and started his career he moved from home. This ended our having racing homers as I didn't have the time to do them justice. My son was very successful with his birds, and it required a lot of time to keep them there.

After I fully retired, and for other reasons, but still having my argents, I received some white homers from friends of mine in the Modena hobby, and started my ministry (as my wife puts it) in doing white dove releases, never intending for this side of the hobby to become any type of business. Being retired, and loving my backyard pigeons for many, many years, I just wanted to maintain my love and passion for them. Doing white dove releases was a way in which the birds paid for their upkeep.

If I do enough releases per year to keep them, I am a happy person. And at the same time, I am able to give some type of peaceful closure to families losing a love one, or a joyous unforgettable memory for persons attending weddings. With blessings from HIM up above, HE has provided for me and my love for his creations.”


Joel of Desert Doves in San Bernardino County, CA attributes his love for pigeons to his early days:

“I can remember my first pair of blue bar homers like it was yesterday. It was over 50 years ago. I was hooked. Many of my buddies got some birds, and we lived pigeons; built lofts, flew them, etc. Then one guy took me over to another guy’s house. He had some whites. He was older, maybe 16, and had a 3 section loft. WOW! He had very few white birds, maybe 3 pair, but those had a couple of babies about 5 weeks old. He took some of his pure white ones out, walked about 25 feet away from the loft, tossed them into the air, and they flew right to the trap. In they went. It was beautiful to me.

I gave up my birds a couple years later, but forty years after that I found I still had the bug. I got some whites, and built a loft during the couple of years that I was a care-giver for my 90 year old mother. I decided to try the white bird release business, and as I got ready to start it turned out that my mother’s funeral was my first actual white dove release. Since 2001 I have done hundreds of events. I never lose my love for these birds.”

The Symbolism of the White Dove

Many brides ask about the symbolism of white doves in a wedding ceremony. Some are familiar with the fact that the birds will "mate for life", which is true. But what they don't see is the true devotion these birds have to one another.  

The doves will pick a nest and always return to it. They will lovingly groom each other and whisper their quiet cooing. When the eggs are laid, both parents take turns incubating them and when the chicks emerge, both share in the feeding and rearing of the young. When they are separated for any length of time and then reunited, there is a joyous greeting when once again they are together.

What a fitting gesture to have these beautiful birds attend your wedding, whether it be in a decorative display cage for your guests to view, or when they put on their magical display during a flock release. The symbolism is much more than the joy and celebration that your guests will witness.  The white doves are also a symbol of home-building, teamwork, love, commitment, affection and lasting devotion.

White Doves Fly for The American Widow Project

A member of the White Dove Release Professionals was honored to provide memorial white dove releases at a very special event this past weekend.

A young lady from Texas named Taryn Davis started the American Widow Project after her husband was killed in Iraq when she was only 23 years old. Now Taryn travels all over the country to hold retreats for other widows who have lost their husbands in the war in Iraq or Afghanistan. They most recently held a retreat near Orlando, Florida, and included a white dove release ceremony in their plans.

Taryn arranged for the 12 widows to gather on a dock overlooking a lake. One at a time each widow stood in the front and either talked or read from a journal about her pain, and things she wanted to release. Then she was handed a white dove to release. Each one was so very emotional. None of the widows were more than 25 years old.

After each of the ladies finished releasing her dove they released one last bird as a group. They gathered in a semi-circle and each one reached over so they were touching the bird. Some were saying things like, "This is for you, Baby" or "I love you (followed by husband's name)". It was so incredible when they released that final bird together. This memorial white dove release brought a lot of tears, laughter, release and healing to these ladies. It was absolutely beautiful. As a side note, PBS is doing a special the weekend of Memorial Day about these ladies, and a camera man was there filming the release.

The American Widow Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to the new generation of those who have lost the heroes of yesterday, today and tomorrow, with an emphasis on healing through sharing stories, tears and laughter………Military Widow to Military Widow.


Taryn Davis, 23, was living the “normal” life; She had married her soul mate, was about to graduate college, and had her future with him to look forward to. That was until May 21, 2007. Her husband had been killed by multiple roadside bombs just an hour and a half after they last spoke. Feeling lost and alone in the new world she’d been thrown into, she began traveling around the country to hear other women’s stories of love, tragedy… and overall survival. In hearing their accounts, she hoped to learn more about the title that been had given to her… that of a military widow.


What began as her own personal journey has expanded into a non-profit organization, a documentary film, and a growing website. She has grasped on and embraced her new life with all the enthusiasm and passion she had when Michael was still alive. Inspired solely off the willpower and strength of the women “in her shoes” she has found that true love is eternal, that the lessons and things her husband said and did still run through her veins, and mostly….she is not alone.

The above excerpt is quoted from the official American Widow Project website. http://www.americanwidowproject.org/

TJ, the Amazing Little White Dove

White doves used in dove releases at weddings, funerals and other special events can be much more to their owners than simple working animals. Many Professionals who release pure white homing pigeons, also called rock doves, have heartwarming tales to tell about how special these animals are as individuals. Lisa, a member of the White Dove Release Professionals serving the Sussex, Delaware area recently wrote about one such white dove.

I'd like to share a little story with you.


I have one white pigeon that was hatched with a defect. His feathers are deformed so that he will never fly. He looks like he has perpetual pin feathers, but he is soft. Well, this little guy is precious. I brought him into the house, of course. I felt that running around in a loft where everyone else can fly would be too depressing for him. So he has his own elevated cage, a ramp leads up to it, and inside is his food, water and a padded nest bowl. He walks around the house following me, cooing, and loves to sit on my lap or on a small cushy dog bed I bought for him. I place the little round bed near my head, if I lay down on the sofa to watch TV or read, and he snuggles right in.


He loves to be petted, picked up, kissed on top of the head, and enjoys playing with hair. He cleans up after the parrot, who tends to eat all of her food with the exception of the corn kernels she tosses out...how perfect! He will even sit nestled down next to me, lean over and gently preen my eyelashes, or stick his beak in my ear, which always makes me laugh. He visits Dad, and he has his own little carry case. I open the case, and he struts right in, cooing, ready to go visit Dad's house. He enjoys the drive over, and sometimes will coo with certain songs on the radio; if I sing too, he coos louder, joining in. He loves Susan Boyle's new CD; loudest I've ever heard him coo.


Once we arrive at Dad's I open the hatch, and he struts out cooing, checks under the other bird cages for any treats on the floor there, then proceeds to look for Dad. He can walk very fast, and with such purpose, it is hysterical to watch. He goes right into Dad's bedroom, and will coo for Dad to pick him up. We have a special quilt just for him, and he walks all over the bed. He sometimes will pick up a card, if Dad is playing solitaire. He will perch himself on Dad's chest, nestle down, and take a nap with him while I fix dinner, or do other chores.


When I am drying my hair, I guess he must be cooing to get my attention, and I can't hear him over the dryer. He'll walk around the bathroom cooing as I dry my hair, and must think I am ignoring him. He is smart. He would not give up, and figured out how to get me to notice him. He walks over and climbs on my foot, and stares up at me. He wants me to "dry" him, too. He loves it, and even lifts his wings up for the warm air. When he stands on my foot, most of the time I have slippers on, and I still feel the weight of him, but in the summer when I am bare foot, his little toe nails tickle unbelievably, and it always makes me laugh out loud. He will stand on my foot, look up at me and coo until I sit down and dry him, too.


Funny little bird! Now that he knows he tickles my foot and makes me laugh, he does it more often. He is very smart; when he gets a laugh for a response, he remembers and does whatever made us laugh more often, then looks up at us, coos and struts around in circles cooing, I think it is his way of joining in the laughter.


This little pigeon puts many smiles on our faces every day. His name is TJ, and he knows his name. If I am a few rooms away and call, "TJ", he will come walking very fast. It is very cute. Dad and I get a kick out his little "tap, tap" footsteps as his toe nails click, with his little pink feet walking across a tile floor to come and see what we want.


TJ even made an appearance in the local newspaper. I brought him to the Blessing of the Animals at church; he was the mascot to bring blessings back home to everyone else. I guess I am not the only one who thinks he is cute...the photographer taking many photos of many animals decided TJ had to be on that page.

Everyone asks about the doo-doo. Well, he doesn't go much, and when he does, it's a perfect little round ball, and picks right up with a tissue. I have Cockatiels, Conures, Doves, Parrots, a Macaw, and I have had Canaries, Finches and a few wild birds in my care over the years, and he is by far the cleanest bird ever. Thank goodness, because I love him so much it wouldn't matter anyway.


I'm sure there are others that would have put him down, once they saw the deformity. You never know who may become so precious to you, who may make you laugh out loud and smile daily, or who will work their way into your heart. Who would think that it could be a little bird? Who would think that a little pigeon that couldn't fly could bring so much love and joy to life?


Merry Christmas, Peace, Love and Joy to You All!

White Dove Releases Commemorate Veteran's Day, 2009

As we honor our Veterans with white dove releases across the nation we would like to reflect on what a Veteran is.

Veterans are those proud and self-sacrificing individuals who swear at a point in time, before God and man, to protect and defend their most cherished nation and way of life as a member of the armed forces. Each and every Veteran answers the call to duty, and makes a choice to sacrifice dreams, wants and needs for a time in order to go and to serve wherever the country most needs him or her.

A Veteran stands lonely vigil in foreign lands, walks in harms way, puts personal well-being aside, to stare down any threat, and conquer any foe.

We recognize and honor those individuals who are Veterans, who answered the call to a sacred duty, for which they give of their own lives to protect and preserve our nation and liberty. The white dove is a perfect symbol of the Veteran's service and the nation's appreciation, recognition and thanks.

White Doves soar with hope at 2009 Komen Race for the Cure

The White Dove Release Professionals is proud to feature the printed text of the speech made by one of our members at the Survivor's Ceremony for the 17th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Fashion Island, Newport Beach, Ca.


I’ve been a part of this ceremony for the last 15 years as the vendor whose company has been hired to release 100 doves as part of the survivor tribute.

At past Races, I had always felt a great sense of empowerment amongst the survivors here; their pink t-shirts and roses waving in their hands, some shaky and a bit overwhelmed, but all so very, very brave.

How different this ceremony will be for me this year. When I received the request to book this Race date from the survivors, who pay for my doves, I froze, and a flood of emotions took over because I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February. I had a lumpectomy followed by chemotherapy and radiation.

I had thought about the times I felt uncomfortable sharing the stage with the survivors and as I cried with them, I really had no idea what it must be like to face the diagnosis. And even though I did not choose to be part of this sisterhood, I now have such a greater understanding and want to make a difference as my journey continues. I am proud to be joining you here on stage, and as my gift to the Komen Race for the Cure® I will be releasing my doves as a donation every year until a cure is found.

Yes, my life has changed, some of the days harder than others, but I did get one thing I always wished for, the perfect blond hair, no roots or split ends (wig off). Pause…

I know now that the many years I spent participating in this event, along with the support of my amazing family and friends, has truly been the backbone to help me fight MY cancer. But for what I have lost, I have gained so much more. This year as we release the doves, may their grace and beauty bring hope to all who are racing to find a cure!!

Presented by Pamla Wright of White Flite White Dove Releases, September 27th, 2009.

Remembering the heroes of 9/11

As the eight year anniversary of that terrible day draws near, hundreds of thousands of people across this nation and even around the world join together to honor the people who lost their lives; and the many who selflessly offered aid; and the families who continue to live with the absence of their loved ones.

The White Dove Release Professionals, whose members service many areas all across the United States and Canada, will be sharing in the privilege of recognizing and remembering the beloved lost and the brave survivors of that day's tragedy by providing white dove releases at public and private ceremonies on September 11th.

May the beautiful white doves we release in memory and honor of the heroes and victims of September 11, 2001 bring a measure of healing and peace to all who witness their soaring flight.

Embraced Forevermore

As we remember our thoughts of eight years ago
sadness still lurks in the solemn shadows below.
As those towering inferno's fell to their death
the hero's within them drew their last breath.

It was a very sad ending to such a beautiful day
all of those people had died in such a horrible way.
The story's now history as we try to move forward
a hard thing to do when you think of the martyred.

As we remembered our thoughts of eight years ago
those people who jumped from a sky high window.
The ones in the buildings who were trapped by the fire,
the ones on the planes who never knew what transpired.

Police and firemen who climbed those stairs to rescue
anyone who had survived, no matter how few.
Their day had just started and little did they know,
they were the victims of a coward’s evil deathblow.

In honor of those hero's who went in our place
we will never forget you, you're forevermore embraced
by all of the Americans and the whole human race
as we try to move forward at a slow steady pace.

Each one of you died as a hero on that infamous day,
rest assured that your memories will never fade away.
In the land of a free democracy and in honor of our brave,
we fly Old Glory today and forevermore she'll wave!

Adapted from the poem by Jimmy Phillips, 2008
Source- www.sept11thmemorial.com