The Bible uses a dove to symbolize the descent of the Holy Spirit from Heaven unto Jesus.
At age 30, Christ was baptized at the Jordan River by his cousin, John. Matthew 3:16 reads: “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him”.
It is believed the Holy Spirit assumed the form of a dove because a dove has characteristics similar to those of the Holy Spirit. Doves are commonly white in color, and white in the Scripture represents purity or righteousness (Rev. 19:8). A dove expresses its affection by stroking its young and cooing in a soft tone. Spiritually, the Holy Spirit causes believers to be caring and loving for one another and even for those who are lost. The dove is a gentle creature and never retaliates against its enemies, which reflects the Bible's admonition for believers to "turn the other cheek".
And of course, the dove played an important role in the Old Testament, in the story of the ark and the flood, when Noah sends out a dove to determine if the flooding has ended, and the dove returns with an olive leaf, which has come to symbolize God's love & forgiveness.