The Spotted Dove

I've been enjoying pigeons lately, drawings of them, prints of them and pigeons in real life. I have a book that shows a couple of paintings of chinese pigeons, apparently the artist made five volumes of paintings of just domestic pigeons! I'd love to get my hands on it. Here are a few examples.

I think it is funny how pigeons get such bad press, 'flying vermin,' 'rats with wings,' yet the symbol for peace and for love is a dove. But, a dove is a pigeon, just a bit prettier, they are all from the same family. Oh well!

Anyway, I decided to make a gocco print of one of my favourite little birds here in Australia. The Spotted Dove. They are quite common but always hide in laneways acting shifty, as soon as you come across them they flurry off as if they have been caught having a secret meeting. Either that or they are just shy.