23 Photos That Showcase The World's Most Beautiful Doves And Pigeons

I’ve never thought of pigeons as anything more than fairly dull and ubiquitous creatures that leave a lot of poop behind. But some people are really into these creatures – and they come in a variety of shapes and colors, partly because they may be one of the first domesticated birds. In fact, people have been breeding (and cross-breeding) them for hundreds of years. There are even show pigeons.

African green pigeon: One of 5 types of green pigeons, these beauties are native to Sub-Saharan Africa. You can find them searching for figs in fruit trees (and they are also good climbers) as well as doing some ground foraging. Their upperparts are greyish green to yellowish green, their thighs are yellow with mauve patches on the top of the wing. The green plumage provides a great camouflage in the tops of trees. Their bills are red at the base white at the tip. Their feet are also red. They are usually gregarious, all in small groups. They forage in trees, flapping to keep there balance, and often hanging upside down. There green plumage makes effective camouflage. Their flight is fast and direct.