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| Wood Dove. An 8 x 10 original painting by Mark Phillips |
This is the latest in my "Birds of Barbados Collection"
The Wood dove can be found just about anywhere on the island of Barbados. Its scientific name is (Zenaida aurita). This dove resembles the Mourning Dove famous for its distinctive Cooing sounds. A bit smaller in size with a shorter more rounded tail and a bit darker in colour, this dove is usually heard cooing much like the Mourning Dove. Their “coooooo-coo-coo-a-coo” tone, sounds quite similar, the only difference is that it coos a bit faster.
One of the most vivid memories of my very young days at primary school was hearing the Mourning Doves cooing in the early morning. My father had to be at work in Bridgetown before 8 a.m. and he dropped me off at school in St. Philip before 7. I was usually the first there and I clearly remember the doves and their haunting laments. For many years I believed that it was the Wood Doves that made this sound. Only as an adult did I become aware that the Mourning Doves and the Wood Doves were different birds.
Wood Doves are not always interested in building nests in conventional places. Hence the reason you would sometimes see them in garages, old buildings or resting in hanging lights. If there is no suitable place for nesting, it is highly possible that Wood Doves would opt for nesting on the ground.
I fought a losing battle in my patios at home with the Wood Doves constantly nesting in the cup-shaped lighting fixtures on the walls. I had to eventually replace all of them with fixtures that did not offer them a perch.
The Wood Dove forages by walking about on the ground in cultivated and urban areas or on the woodland floor. It feeds mainly on grains and seeds and may sometimes take insects (ants and flies) and earthworms. Some fruits are consumed too. In addition to its diet, it also swallows fine gravels to assist with digestion, and also takes salt from mineral rich soils.
Why do Doves Represent Love and Peace?
Doves are considered birds who mate for life and are extremely loyal. They raise their young ones with great care and dedication. They build their nests in areas near human settlements. In a way, this may have given people the opportunity to witness the immense love, care, and loyalty displayed by these doves. They are harmless birds and feed on fruits, plants, and seeds. People quickly associated doves with peace, love, and dedication.
In Greek mythology, doves are associated with love and romance. The Greek Goddess Aphrodite is depicted with doves flying around her or resting on her hand. She is born in a chariot drawn by doves. Her daughters-Pleiades-who are the 'seven sisters in the night sky', are also known as 'a flock of doves'. These birds were so symbolic in medieval times that many potions that were made for love, included the heart of a dove.
In ancient Aztec culture, the Goddess of Love, Xochiquetzal, is considered the mother of humanity. After the Great Flood, it is believed that she descended on Earth in the form of a dove and gave the world the gift of speech and languages.
In Hindu mythology, Kamadeva-the God of love-is known to ride a dove. This may also be the reason why doves are associated with love.
A story from Central Asia also portrays doves as the symbol of peace. As per the story, two kings head for war. One of the kings asks for his armour, upon which he is told that a dove has made a nest in his helmet. His mother asks him to leave the nest and the bird undisturbed, as it is the symbol of purity and love. The king agrees and heads for the war, without his helmet.
Upon seeing the king without his armour, the second king asks for a reason. Both the kings call for negotiation and meet to talk. When the second king comes to know about the love and compassion the other king had shown for the dove, he was moved. He felt that he had misjudged a man with such a compassionate heart. After this, both the kings settle down with an agreement of peace. This is how the dove started to be known as the bird of peace.
Many artists have depicted the dove as a symbol of peace. The lithograph by Picasso-La Colombe-showing a dove with an olive branch in its beak was chosen as the emblem of peace in 1949, for the World Peace Congress in Paris. After this, the dove became very popular as a symbol of peace for the modern world.
The dove is truly a bird that has touched the human mind and heart. It has inspired mankind with its innocence and purity. It reminds people of the very basic traits to live a fruitful life - love and peace!
"In the beginning, said a Persian poet, Allah took a rose, a lily, a dove, a serpent, a little honey, a Dead Sea apple, and a handful of clay. When he looked at the amalgam it was a woman." William Sharp
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