Cooing a Song of Love

When I saw the photos of some of these pigeons in my mind I pictured all the pigeons I had fed in my life in all kinds of city parks. Usually, they were gray, some with colored feathers around the neck, some gray, and some white. Who knew there were any other kinds?

Discovering more about pigeons I learned that the common city pigeon is called the rock pigeon and might have been the very first bird domesticated by humans. These pigeons are featured as figurines, shown in mosaics, and on coins from ancient Mesopotamia since at least 4500 BC.

Brown Frillback Pigeon

Frillback pigeons are an ancient breed and were among the pigeons kept by English naturalist, geologist, and biologist Charles Darwin. It is not known where they originated but it is thought that they came from the ancient regions of Asia Minor.

These pigeons have frilly feathers on their backs looking like small, crimped feathers. There are feathers also covering their feet as well as distinctly ridged feathers on their tails and at the tip of their wings. Around their necks, they have feathers that are distinctly separated.

Victoria Crowned Pigeon

Victoria Crowned pigeons are the largest species of pigeon and are one of four types of pigeons that are ground0dwelling. These pigeons were named after Queen Victoria due to their elegant look. These pigeons are indigenous to New Guinea including the island groups of Papua and some of Indonesia such as the Yapen Islands. They make their home in both dry and wet forests. They are ground-dwelling usually at sea level but will fly into trees at elevations of up to 3,000 feet. Historically, they were hunted for their feathers and meat causing their populations to dwindle.

Victoria Crowned pigeons are blue or gray and have a small black mask around their eyes. Their wings have a bar formed by a lighter color and are usually tipped in maroon. Their most outstanding feature is the fancy plumage on their heads. This elaborate feather crest is white on the ends and the tendrils of the crown are splayed. Both male and female pigeons have crowns.

Nicobar Pigeon

Nicobar pigeons are one of the most beautiful breeds of Columbidae. These are believed to be relatives to the extinct dodo birds. These pigeons are also known as vulturine, hackled, or white-tailed pigeons. They are native to the Islands of Nicobar a union territory of India lying in the eastern Indian Ocean. The Nicobar Islands lie about 800 miles east of Sri Lanka and are designated as one of the World Network of Heritage Biosphere. These pigeons can also be found in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Nicobar pigeons inhabit a range of different settings from dry forests to rain forests to shrubland and mangroves. They move from island to island and prefer smaller, densely wooded areas and least-disturbed islands. They have sturdy bodies with small heads, long legs, and wings. The pigeons have drooping, iridescent plumage in vibrant colors of metallic green and blue with distinctive mane-like copper hackles. Their tails are short and pure white. At the upper base of their bills, they have a small, blackish mound in a hook shape and the eyes have dark irises.

Pink-Necked Green Pigeon

Pink-Necked Green pigeons are also called Rainbow pigeons and among the most beautiful birds in the world. Their origins go back to 1771 when Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician Carl Linnaeus gave this species the name of Columba vernans. These Pink-Necked Green pigeons are a natural species and native to Southeast Asia. They can be found across Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, The Philippines and Malaysia. Their preferred habitat is flexible.

These pigeons make their home in primary forest, forest edges, secondary forest, and coastal mangroves. They are happy in lowlands and also at altitudes of up to 3,900 feet. Their appearance is striking and these medium-sized pigeons have a plumage that gives them camouflage among the fruit trees. Their plumage is a pale violet/blue from the head to dusky lavender to their pinkish necks then bright orange breasts that become a shade of green. Their legs are pale green ending in bright pink feet. Their wings are slate-blue/gray to olive green with indigo accents and yellow edges.

Bronzewing Pigeon

Bronzewing pigeons are medium-sized, heavily built pigeons. They are native to Australia and one of the most common breeds there. They have been around since colonial times. These pigeons were mentioned in the book "The Voyage to Botany Bay" by Captain Arthur Phillip in 1790.

Male bronzewings have foreheads ranging from pale yellow to yellow-white with pink breasts. Both males and females have a noticeable white line around their eyes and striking patches of green, red, and blue on their wings. Their coloring helps them to blend in on the ground.

Jacobin Pigeons

Jacobin pigeons are descendants of the Columba Livis, the Rock Pigeon. They are recognized for their feathered hoods over their heads that break down into three parts - the hood, the mane, and the chain. These pigeons are believed to be native to India and first bred in the 1500s. During the time of the reign of James the 1st, Dominican monk friars were called Jacobins after the nearby Church of St Jacques in Paris, France. The British named these pigeons Jacobins since the hoods on their head were similar to those hoods worn by Jacobin Monks.

These pigeons are slender and tall. Jacobin pigeons in Australia have black, white, red, and yellow plumage with fluffy feathers that make them look more robust. They have distinctive muff or cowl feathers that form a rosette on both sides of their heads. The mane runs down the back of their heads, two-line feathers run down the front of their chests and a hood comes over the top of their heads. There are no feathers covering their legs or feet.

Indian Fantail

Indian Fantail pigeons are descendants of rock doves and a breed of fancy pigeons. These pigeons differ from American Fantails as they are larger and have crests and feathered feet. These are the oldest of fancy breed pigeons recorded in Spain as far back as 1150 AD.

They have show-off tails which give them their name. Each tail has 30 to 40 feathers. Indian Fantail pigeons are medium-sized and walk on their toes which are covered by feathers. They hold their chests upright letting their heads rest on the cushion formed by their tail feathers. These pigeons are white and tan and during breeding can be in hues of black, red, yellow, silver, and greyish-brown. Some can have various splashes of color.

Lahore Pigeon

Lahore pigeons are fancy pigeons that are large-sized. They are one of the most popular ornamental pigeons in the world. They are favored for their fancy plumage. Their name comes from their origins which began in Lahore in Pakistan. These pigeons became popular in the Shiraz area of Iran and in the late 1800s made their way to Germany. They have never been wild but always domesticated.

Lahore pigeons have a white body with various colored feathers. Their necks, heads, and wings can be in a variety of colors among them blue, black, and chequered. Their heads are broad with an oval top and chubby cheeks. They have a heavily feathered "bull-neck" which flows smoothly into a large chest. Their feet are feathery and white. They stand erect with proud postures.

Archangel Pigeons

Archangel pigeons are among the most brightly colored breeds of pigeons in the world. These black and copper-colored pigeons were bred in the UK, so only these types are called Arcangels in the UK. In Germany, they are known as Gimpeltaube. They originated in the Balkan region of Dalmatia - now Croatia.

These pigeons have longish, narrow heads that are slightly curved, Their crest is a ridge of feathers converging from both shoulders, running up to the apex and culminating on the head in a sharp conical point. Their eyes are orange. Their breasts are wide and the backs slope elegantly down to the tails. The tails are long and narrow. Archangel Pigeons have two colors bronze or gold and their wings can be blue, black, or white or a combination of colors.