# Pigeons



## Misunderestimated

Shalom!

I looked up "pigeon" in the dictionary and got "yona", but it wasn't clear whether this is for female pigeons only or for both genders. What word would you use for a male pigeon, and what is the plural "pigeons"? 

Also, what would most people call a squab (baby pigeon)? Most people would say "chick" instead of "baby chicken" in English, but few people would say "squab" instead of "baby pigeon".

Thanks!


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## slygent

ffiw, I remember learning יון for a male pigeon in כיתה א when I was 6


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## amikama

יונה is feminine only. A male pigeon is יון. The plural is יונים, both for male pigeons and female pigeons.

Baby pigeon is גוזל יונים. As far as I know, there is no special word for it in Hebrew.


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## origumi

slygent said:


> ffiw, I remember learning יון for a male pigeon in כיתה א when I was 6


The masculine form יון _yon_ exists but rarely used. Who can tell the difference between male and female pigeon seeing one?

In modern Hebrew baby pigeon is גוזל _gozal_, which is the name for most baby birds. For hen it's אפרוח _efroakh_. The rule is that if the baby bird/poultry is independent immediately when born, like hen chicks, it's אפרוח. otherwise it's גוזל.

In the past the two names were mixed. More here (in Hebrew): http://www.safa-ivrit.org/fauna/efroach.php


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## origumi

amikama said:


> Baby pigeon is גוזל יונים. As far as I know, there is no special word for it in Hebrew.


In biblical Hebrew the young pigeon is בן יונה.


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## amikama

In my previous post I forgot to add that יונה is the "default" when the sex of a pigeon is unknown.




origumi said:


> In biblical Hebrew the young pigeon is בן יונה.


Thanks, origumi


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## just a normal guy

I must emphasize that no one says יון while talking between friends or in the street.


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## Maayan

origumi said:


> In biblical Hebrew the young pigeon is בן יונה.


 
Better be careful using Biblical Hebrew, as in Modern Hebrew Ben-Yona sounds like a curse


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