Are pigeons and doves biologically different groups of birds?

Pigeons and doves are not biologically different groups of birds; the terms are synonymous and used interchangeably to refer to members of the family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes.12

While "dove" is often used to describe smaller, long-tailed species and "pigeon" is typically applied to larger, stockier ones, these common names do not reflect distinct biological classifications. For example, the domestic pigeon is frequently referred to as the "rock dove". Both groups share the same defining characteristics of the family, such as the ability to produce a nutritive secretion known as pigeon's milk to feed their young and a unique method of drinking water by suction.12