UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: dove, pigeon

Semantic entry: 4.44

Semantic domains: Animals

Subdomains: Birds

Definition: Asiatic Rock dove: bird with a blue-gray color with a pinkish sheen to the neck feathers and a black tip on its tail; lives in large colonies and eats mainly seeds; courts, mates, and has nests several times a year; nests on rock ledges; Columba via; used as food and for sacrifices; regarded as swift, docile, and innocent

Notes: Though in English a relatively clear distinction is made between ‘doves’ (which have pointed tails) and ‘pigeons’ (which have square off tails), there seems to be no such distinction in the use of περιστερά and τρυγών in the Greek of the New Testament.|There are, however, certain problems involved in the connotations of terms relating to pigeons or doves. According to ancient zoology, the dove was thought to have no bile, and consequently, therefore, to be a very peaceful and clean bird. It thus became a symbol of Christian virtue and of gentleness (as in RV MAT 10:16 · LV MAT 10:16 · Read together MAT 10:16). In reality, however, doves and pigeons are quite aggressive, and a group of pigeons are frequently known to peck an injured bird to death. Therefore, in some societies pigeons or doves are not regarded as gentle or peaceful, but rather as wicked and harmful. In fact, in some cultures doves are thought to be symbols of death and of evil. Under such circumstances it is important, therefore, to have some marginal note so as to indicate clearly the symbolic significance of such birds in biblical contexts.

Further resources: fauna:3.7