How do i tell the difference between a pigion and a dove at long range?

Question

i want to start hunting in my back garden because the keep on eating my vegitables and the starting to p**s me of, i also have herd that dove do this but your not aloud to shoot them,

Answer 1

The correct name for the common pigeon is the rock dove, showing their close family relationship with mourning, white-wing, Inca, ring-neck, and other doves.  They all have relatively fat bodies in relation to their little bitty heads, but the common pigeon is several times larger than other doves.  In the U.S., the hunting of migratory birds (like most doves) is regulated by the federal government and enforced by state and local agencies.  The seasons for hunting them, and the bag limits, vary widely from state to state.  Best bet is to check with your state natural resource agency, or ask at a sporting goods store.

You will also need to make sure hunting is OK in your municipality, but I agree that this may not solve your problem, as doves are primarily seed eaters.  By the way, dove breast  is wonderful when grilled.  Stick a jalapeno pepper with it, wrap it in bacon, cook and enjoy.

Answer 2

Just go sit and watch them fly by for awhile. You will begin to see and obvious difference in flight movements and of course pidgeons are much larger. I can recognize a dove in flight from several hunderd yards because I use to hunt them all the time. Doves tend to go fast and in a straight line most of the time. If they have been shot at they will often duck and dodge in flight. I don't see many pideons but usually they have birds of various colors in the group and mill around alot when they get close to their destination as if they cannot make up their mind. Double the size of a mourning dove.

Answer 3

a pidgeon or a dove wouldnt be eating your vegetables and they are easy to tell the difference between the two species

Answer 4

Doves are smaller, tend to have long pointed tails, and are a buff brown color.  Pigeons are heavier, chunkier, and they tend to have shinier feathers that come in a large variety of colors.

Both could be in your garden,  I've had mourning doves scrounge for seeds in mine before.