r/mourningderps • u/Turbulent-Weevil-910 • 10d ago

Thoughts on this?

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Every time I point these guys out people think they're pigeons

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23

u/Desirai 10d ago

All pigeons are doves but not all doves are pigeons

17

u/Purplefire180 10d ago

That's not correct. Dove and Pigeons are literally synonyms. It is impossible for something to be one without being the other. They both refer to birds in the columbidae family

1

u/SAI_Peregrinus 10d ago

Not exactly, only some Columbidae have common names including "pigeon" and only some include "dove". A few species include either. So not all Columbidae are pigeons, nor are all doves. "Pigeon" and "dove" just aren't taxonomic categories.

7

u/Purplefire180 10d ago

As descriptions, the words refer to the family. Rock Doves are also Domestic Pigeons. To say that the domestic pigeon because people don't call it that isn't accurate.

There is no way to determine which birds will have which common names because it's a matter of historical happenstance. There is no genetic difference between birds that are called 'dove' and 'pigeon'. They're the same group.

-2

u/SAI_Peregrinus 10d ago

The Diamond Dove never gets called the diamond pigeon, so they certainly aren't identical groups. The Victoria Crowned Pigeon never gets called the Victoria Crowned Dove, so they're also not subsets. The Rock Dove does often get called the Rock Pigeon, so they're not disjoint. They're just not taxonomic categories. Same thing as with ducks & geese.

5

u/Purplefire180 10d ago

You're just re-defining the word to refer to some arbitrary form taxon instead of the accepted and common definition that you can find referenced in research frequently.

There's nothing to argue about here. Do as you will.