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.

Lucerne Gold Collar pigeon: Yet another type of fancy pigeon, this one is known for its rich golden-yellow collar. They originated in Lucerne, Switzerland, and are descended from crested pigeons (which is why you can see the remains of a crest on their heads).