Birding in December 2011

I was recently asked if the dove that returned to Noah with the olive branch was the same species of dove associated with that of Peace.
I wasn't sure so I looked it up. Rock doves have been domesticated for thousands of years and are the same species as feral pigeons, (the ones so common in cities) racing pigeons and homing pigeons. This species are known for their ability to return home from great distances even if they are unfamiliar with the territory. It is most likely that this is the species depicted in the biblical story of Noah.

The dove most often associated with peace symbols is the Ringednecked Dove, a species that does not have a good homing ability. However, they are easily kept and long-lived in captivity, living for up to 12 years, and are noted for their gentle nature. Some of these doves carry a mutation that makes them completely white. These white ringnecks are traditionally released in large public ceremonies, since it is a symbol of peace in many cultures.

There are many myths told about how the Dove became the 'Bird of Peace'. My favourite is based on an Azerbaijani legend which begins:

Once upon a time,
there were two Shahs (kings) who lived in kingdoms in the East and who fell out with each other. Eventually one of them announced, "I'm going to war!" "Everybody prepare for war!"

The day before the war was to begin, the Shah said to his mother. "Bring my helmet" his mother went away and returned empty-handed. "Why didn't you bring my helmet?" "I could not lift it, it was too heavy for me" she replied. The Shah being surprised moved to fetch the helmet himself, but his mother blocked his path. "Please, please, do not touch the helmet, " she begged him. "But mother, I am the Shah. How can a Shah go to battle without his helmet?"

So his mother told him the secret. "A dove has built a nest inside your helmet, inside are three tiny chicks safe and secure do not disturb them. Doves are the most peace-loving birds of all. They are gentle and will never harm anyone". "Each day she leaves the nest to search for food, how could I destroy their home? If I as much as laid a finger on your helmet the mother dove would get scared and abandon her chicks leaving them to perish and the doves might bring about misfortune and disaster to our country". "This time, son go to war without your helmet".

The Shah took heed of his mother and went to battle bare headed. A Shah at war without his helmet? The thought amazed the other Shah so much he asked "why no helmet?". "A dove has built a nest for her three chicks' right inside my helmet I did not want to destroy the nest so I came to battle without it".

The warring Shah was disbelieving so he sent his advisor to check out the story. The advisor returned saying "My lord it is true. There really are three chicks nesting in his helmet".

The warring Shah was so astonished that after pausing for a moment, he extended his hand in friendship to the helmetless Shah. "Let us make peace together and forever. You and your mother did not want to destroy even a small dove’s nest with its chicks. How can we destroy the homes and lives of thousands of our people?" And so the two Shahs signed a treaty to keep the peace forever.

From that day onwards, the dove has become known as the symbol of peace.

If a dove could prevent a war and bring peace between enemies an eon ago in Azerbaijan, perhaps it is not too late in our own time and place. Can we too bring the attributes of the dove into our culture, into our hearts and find insights into the continued violence of our modern world?

D.H.