Make the most of your memories with a white dove release by Angel Wings Doves
Why must the birds be banded? Isn’t this cruel?
Banding does not hurt the birds in any way. The band is simply a loose-fitting lightweight information bracelet that is slipped onto the bird’s leg while it is young, and remains on the bird as it grows.
Every band has a unique identification number which makes it possible to keep accurate health and breeding records. This allows us to give every bird the individual care it deserves. Breeders who band their birds are investing extra time and expense in the proper care of their birds.
Banding allows birds to be identified, and returned safely to the owner if one should happen to become lost or injured while away from its home loft. A bird that is not banded has no hope of ever being returned to its home.
For your Ceremonial White Dove Release we WILL release only well-trained, well cared for white racing pigeon stock which are banded with leg bands from either the American Racing Pigeon Union, International Federation, Canadian Union, or a permanent personalized band with the address and phone number of the breeder.
Why do you only use trained racing pigeons for your White Dove Releases?
Not all pigeons have a high-level homing instinct which allows them to be used for White Dove Releases. We want our birds to return to our loft safely after every release, so we will only use racing or homing pigeons that have the natural ability and the endurance training to return home to us time and time again.
The racing or homing pigeon loves to fly long distances. Our birds truly enjoy their White Dove Release flights.
Other types of doves such as those sold in pet and farm stores (often called Turtledoves or Ringneck Doves) are not capable of flying more than a few feet, and have absolutely no homing instinct. Use of these types of birds for a White Dove Release constitutes cruelty and a total disregard for the welfare of the animal. These types of birds, when released into the natural environment, will most certainly die from predators, thirst or starvation
Don't let this happen to you...There are many breeds of white pigeons which do not have a homing instinct, and which have limited flying ability. Use of these types of pigeons for Ceremonial White Dove Releases will not result in a good Release performance as the birds will not take flight away from the guests, and they might not take flight at all.
Why won’t you allow me to just rent your birds, and let me perform my own White Dove Release?
There is much more to a spectacular, memorable and successful Ceremonial White Dove Release than opening up a basket of birds and letting them fly away.
We want you to be completely satisfied with your White Dove Release, and our Release Coordinator’s presence at every White Dove Release is your only guarantee that your Ceremonial White Dove Release will be everything you hoped for and more. No matter what kind of event you are planning, you will not have to give the details of the White Dove Release another thought.
Because our Release Coordinator will be there to handle all Release details, you can rest assured that all of the Release equipment will be the correct type and set up properly; that the birds will have been fed in advance at the proper time to prevent embarrassing “poop” accidents during the Release; and that the birds will be snow-white clean and ready to fly on cue.
We WILL ensure that EVERY White Dove Release has at least one of our knowledgeable Release Coordinators present during the entire service time so that you will be totally satisfied with your Ceremonial White Dove Release from start to finish.
Why shouldn’t I try to save money, and order some White Doves from a breeder or supplier on the internet to use for my Ceremonial White Dove Release?
No matter how good their prices and promises are, and no matter what their websites look like, breeders and suppliers who advertise that they will ship you birds to use in a White Dove Release are unethical in their business practices and cruel in their treatment of the birds.
There is absolutely no way that the birds shipped to you for Release will be able to find their way back "home" because they have not received the gradually increasing distance training necessary to find their homes again. These unethical people know that they are sending the birds to certain suffering and death in the wild. They do not care about their birds and they do not care about you as their customer. All they are interested in is taking your money.
If you decide to entrust your very special event to one of these "rip-off feather merchants" you will be shocked and dismayed when you see that your shipment of white birds has arrived looking tattered and stained green from the poop in their shipping carton. They will be stinky, dirty, hungry, thirsty and frightened from their travel experience. They will most likely be old or unhealthy or of poorer quality than you expected. You will be looking at a box of smelly, dirty, greenish-colored birds that you simply cannot use for your White Dove Release, and you will not know how to get them clean and white again. You will wish you had spent your money on a professional White Dove Release service rather than trying to save a few dollars doing the Release yourself, and you may be very disappointed when you contact Angel Wings Doves, Inc. at the last minute, and we can’t help you because all of our White Doves are already booked on your date.
Because we care about our birds and our clients, and we want your Ceremonial White Dove Release to be successful; we will NOT ship birds by mail for self-release.
Why won’t you release doves indoors or underneath roofing?
Our Release Doves are trained to give a spectacular performance which includes launching into the air and circling several times to gain their bearing before heading for home. They must have adequate room to do this safely.
Releasing our White Doves indoors would cause them to crash into walls, ceilings, and obstacles such as light fixtures and fans. Our birds are trained to fly free.
If you were to attempt to do a White Dove Release indoors on your own, not only would you experience a disappointing and anticlimactic release, you would probably also treat your guests to some very disturbing displays of animal cruelty. The same disastrous results can occur if the doves are released under any overhanging obstacles such as roofing, decorations or trees. Our release coordinators are experienced in evaluating the safety of release locations, and proper positioning for a safe release.
Our Release Coordinators will NOT release birds INDOORS or underneath roofing under any circumstances.
My wedding is being held indoors. Does this mean that I can’t include a Ceremonial White Dove Release as a part of my special day?
If your wedding or other event is being held indoors, you can still have a White Dove Release. We will work with you to plan a safe White Dove Release for your location.
Why won’t you perform a White Dove Release in certain locations?
At all times, we have our birds’ safety in mind when contracting to do a Ceremonial White Dove Release. Some high obstacles which are too near a proposed Release location will make that location unacceptable to do a White Dove Release from.
Certain types of obstacles such as golf driving range nets are notorious for their danger to the birds, and we will not release our birds from any location that has driving range nets nearby enough to cause a hazard. Occasionally power lines will also pose a hazard, and will also prevent a safe Release.
It is possible for the birds to get trapped and tangled in netting and wires as they are rising to the sky. Birds trapped high in nets are not able to be rescued, and your guests are left watching as the birds struggle in their attempts to get free. This is cruel to the birds, and certainly does not leave you and your guests with the kind of memory you were hoping for with your Ceremonial White Dove Release.
If you are planning a White Dove Release, it is your responsibility to notify Angel Wings Doves of any possible hazards at your proposed location. We will inspect the hazard in advance, and be able to tell you if the hazard will prevent a White Dove Release at that location.
I want to have an evening White Dove Release. Why won’t you do one for me?
Doves do not see well in the dark, and their instinct is to quickly find a place to roost for the night. If you release birds in the dark they will crash into obstacles and look for the nearest place to land. They will not fly away in a spectacular White Dove Release.
Our White Doves need to have adequate time and daylight to be able to fly home before dark. If there is not enough daylight to fly in, the birds will be forced to find a place to sleep for the night, without food or water. Overnight in the wild like this they can easily be killed by a predator such as a cat or owl.
Because it will put our birds’ lives at risk, we will NOT release birds AT NIGHT, or within two hours of dusk.
Why do you reserve the right to cancel a scheduled Ceremonial White Dove Release due to the weather?
We have the safety of our birds as our highest concern. Light rain and wind usually do not pose a significant threat to the birds’ safety. However, weather can change, and can even be significantly different between the home loft location and the Release location. Some weather conditions create a threat to flying and returning home safely for the birds. Because of these variances and the unpredictability of the weather, we do reserve the right to cancel a scheduled White Dove Release when necessary. Please see our Refund and Cancellation Policy for details regarding this issue.
Because we care about the safety of our White Doves, we will NOT release birds in extreme heat, inclement weather, or when snow on the ground creates terrain identification problems for the birds.
I live outside of the service area listed on your home page. Can you do a Ceremonial White Dove Release for me?
Please call us to discuss your particular location. Our White Doves have the training and stamina to fly farther than our stated coverage area, so we may be able to do a White Dove Release for you.
Because we care about our White Doves, we will NOT release our birds beyond a range they are able to safely fly home from.
What can I expect on the day of my Ceremonial White Dove Release?
Our Release Coordinator will arrive early to set up the Release Equipment in a location that will give you and your guests the most dramatic and impressive White Dove Release possible for your particular setting. All of our White Dove Releases are full-service which means that you do not need to provide any kind of equipment for the Release.
If you have chosen to add personalized decorative touches to the Release containers, the Release Coordinator will assist you in arranging and attaching them at this time.
The Release Coordinator will advise your photographer and/or videographer if you have one as to their best positioning to film your White Dove Release.
At the appointed time the White Doves will dramatically launch up into the air and gracefully circle above to get their bearings before flying away towards their home.
Most Ceremonial White Dove Release services will last from 5 to 10 minutes; start to finish, depending on the type of service and event.
Why do you call your birds White Doves when they are really homing pigeons?
The bird commonly known in America today as the homing pigeon was originally known as the Rock Dove. Since our birds are pure white Rock Doves, and there is a much more romantic association with the term dove as opposed to the term pigeon in our culture, we have decided that calling our birds White Doves or White Release Doves is the most appropriate name we can call them for the work they are doing.
Isn’t there another bird commonly called a dove?
Yes, there are several related varieties of doves which are familiar to many people. There are wild and domestic Turtledoves, Ringneck Doves and Mourning Doves. These doves do not fly long distances, and are absolutely the wrong birds to attempt to use for a White Dove Release.
Where do the White Release Doves go after they are released?
Our White Release Doves will fly straight back to their home loft near Spirit Lake, Idaho, where they will find food, water and their safe nest waiting for them.
How do your White Release Doves know which direction their home is?
Although the amazing homing abilities of the Rock Dove or homing pigeon have been studied for years, science has yet to discover the exact mechanism for their ability to find their home from great distances over unfamiliar terrain. There is evidence that they are able to sense the earth’s magnetic field, and somehow can use that ability to return to their home.
How fast do your White Release Doves fly?
When there is no head-wind our birds average around 50 – 60 miles per hour. This means that they almost always arrive home before we do.
Do your White Release Doves require any special care or training?
Yes. Because we want our birds to successfully return to our loft every time they are released, we spend a lot of time with the training process. We also keep our birds in optimal health through a regular vaccination program, special feeds and supplements, and a clean and healthy loft environment. A lot of time and expense is involved in keeping our White Release Doves fully trained, prepared and in optimal flying condition.
How do you keep your White Release Doves from “soiling” during the White Dove Release?
We feed our White Release Doves at the proper time of day to virtually eliminate the possibility of this happening.
How do I Book a Ceremonial White Dove Release?
First, make sure you read all of the information on our website so you are familiar with the services we offer.
Next, call or email us to discuss your event plans, and check the availability of your desired date. Please contact us as early as possible to book your Ceremonial White Dove Release on the exact date you are planning for. Bookings on the following days fill up early: All weekends May through September, Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, Patriot Day, Easter.
We gladly accept short-notice bookings for any occasion. Please call us right away to schedule your Ceremonial White Dove Release.
We are happy to answer any questions you may have, and assist you in scheduling your very own professional Ceremonial White Dove Release for your upcoming special occasion.
Every band has a unique identification number which makes it possible to keep accurate health and breeding records. This allows us to give every bird the individual care it deserves. Breeders who band their birds are investing extra time and expense in the proper care of their birds. 
Don't let this happen to you...There are many breeds of white pigeons which do not have a homing instinct, and which have limited flying ability. Use of these types of pigeons for Ceremonial White Dove Releases will not result in a good Release performance as the birds will not take flight away from the guests, and they might not take flight at all. 
