Frequently Asked Questions

Where do the doves go when released?
White doves are highly trained athletes and they return to their home loft. People often ask if all doves will fly home. NO. Only those that have been properly bred with the "homing" instinct and correctly trained. NEVER release doves that have not been trained to return home. Pet store birds or Turtle Doves should never be released because they cannot be trained to return.

How do Release Doves know where "home" is?
Nobody really knows. But a well-trained dove can navigate 100's of miles to find the way home. There are documented flights of over 1000 miles. But most white dove release businesses keep within about 50 to 100 miles from home.

Will they make a mess at the ceremony?
It cannot be guaranteed, but birds usually do not defecate when flying so the chances are slim.

When will the birds be released?
This is entirely up to you! There can be a lot of creativity in the timing and location of your release. Discuss this the person doing the release so we can plan the event perfectly.  Never release birds close to sunset or after dark. They must have time to fly home before dark so plan your ceremony to START about 1 to 2 hours before sunset, depending on the location of your ceremony and the home loft.