Doves belong to the Columbidae family, which also includes pigeons, and are found in nearly every part of the world. They are known for their swift, direct flight. Their speed is highly variable and depends on a combination of biological and environmental factors. Generally, their velocity can range from a steady, energy-efficient cruise to an explosive, maximum-effort burst.
The Typical Cruising Speed
The speed a dove maintains during routine activities, such as foraging or traveling short distances, is known as its cruising speed. For the common Mourning Dove, this velocity is typically between 40 and 55 miles per hour (64 to 88 kilometers per hour). These speeds allow the birds to cover ground efficiently.
Rock Doves, also known as feral pigeons, exhibit a slightly lower cruising speed, generally falling between 15 and 35 miles per hour. This speed is maintained by a consistent and rapid wingbeat. A Domestic Pigeon averages approximately three strokes per second during steady flight, and this high frequency creates the characteristic whistling sound often heard when a dove takes off or lands.
Situational Factors That Affect Velocity
A dove’s velocity can deviate significantly from its cruising speed when responding to immediate threats or external conditions. The highest speeds are achieved during evasive maneuvers to escape a predator, such as a Peregrine Falcon. During these moments of danger, doves use a burst of speed and darting, erratic movements to avoid capture, briefly pushing their velocity to maximum levels.
Environmental conditions, particularly wind, are major variables that determine a dove’s speed relative to the ground. A strong tailwind dramatically increases a bird’s ground speed, allowing it to cover long distances much faster and more efficiently. Conversely, flying into a strong headwind forces the bird to exert considerably more effort to maintain a slow ground speed, often causing them to fly lower to the ground.
The purpose of the flight also dictates the speed the bird attempts to achieve. While foraging or casual travel uses the efficient cruising speed, long-distance flights or homing trips often require a bird to fly closer to its maximum sustained velocity. Highly conditioned homing pigeons, a domesticated form of the Rock Dove, have been recorded achieving average speeds of over 60 miles per hour, with top recorded speeds nearing 100 miles per hour.
Speed Differences Among Species
Inherent speed capabilities vary among species based on physical characteristics and lifestyle. The Mourning Dove, with its slender, streamlined body and long, pointed tail, is built for fast, straight-line flight, making it one of the faster species in level flight.
The Eurasian Collared Dove, a widespread species, typically flies at a slightly slower pace, with reported speeds up to 37 miles per hour (60 kilometers per hour). This difference in speed is related to wing loading, which is the bird’s mass divided by its wing area. Birds with a higher wing loading, like the Rock Dove, require higher airspeeds to generate sufficient lift. These physiological differences ensure each species is well-adapted to its specific habitat and migratory needs.