Our planet is awashwith fascinating animal species, each of which plays a vital role in the ecosystem and makes the world a beautiful place for us to live in. But among all the species, pigeons and doves are perhaps the prettiest. Take a look at the world’s most dazzlingly beautiful color pigeons and doves.
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There are more than 300 species of pigeons and doves, and many are among the most beautiful and colorful birds in the world. All are in the bird family Columbidae and share a range of traits, including a round body shape, delicate bill, and generally granivorous or frugivorous diets. Doves and pigeons can be found in many habitats, and their spectacular colors, intricate markings, and unique features help them blend into outstanding settings. Scroll through this gallery to learn more about the world’s most beautiful pigeons and doves, including where you can visit to add these beauties to your life list. Sydney-based photographer Leila Jeffreys captures the vibrant beauty of birds like colorful pigeons, doves, and cockatoos in her newest series—entitled Ornithurae. Jeffreys specializes in capturing the unique personalities of each feathery friend through a series of up-close studio portraits, with a goal to “portray birds in a way that display[s] their incredible beauty and diversity, and to inspire a deeper concern for their well-being.”
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Superb Fruit-Dove: Tiny rainforest dove with white belly and white vent (compared to Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove which has a yellow belly and vent). Males have a thick black chest band and purple crown. Occurs in eastern Indonesia, New Guinea, and down the east coast of Australia (where it is more common in the north). Voice is often a short sequence of repeated hoots that don’t accelerate to the same extent as Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove. More: Instagram (instagram.com/leilajeffreys)
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Emerald Dove: Brightly-colored dove of the forest floor with bright green wings, coral-red bill, and ash-gray forehead. Male has an extensive silver cap which the female lacks. Inhabits various forested habitats from lowlands up into montane areas. Often encountered when flushed from a well-shaded trail.
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Bleeding Heart Dove: These birds are only found on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. They live in lowland forest, and are found both in primary forests, which have not been disturbed by people, and secondary forests, which have been logged or managed by people. They are even found living in plantations. Luzon bleeding heart doves forage for food on the forest floor. They seek out seeds, fallen fruits and berries, and a variety of invertebrates such as insects and worms.
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Nicobar Pigeon: Spectacular ground-dwelling pigeon with long, extravagant plumes trailing down from the neck. Dark green intermixed with gray, blue, and bronzy orange, depending on the light. Tail is snow-white, but only readily visible when the bird is flushed. Generally shy, quiet, and difficult to see. Inhabits small, densely forested offshore islands from the Indian Andamans to the Solomons and New Guinea.
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Crested Pigeon: The Crested Pigeon is one of several species which has successfully made the transition from a common inland bird to a common urban bird. Crested Pigeons were once restricted to arid and semi-arid zones of inland Australia, with only vagrants recorded closer to the coast. Adelaide was the first major city that they colonised, and later, in quick succession they were recorded in both Brisbane and Perth, on opposite sides of the continent. Now they are common in Sydney and increasingly so in Canberra and Melbourne.
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New Guinea Ground Dove: The White-bibbed Ground-dove (Gallicolumba jobiensis) is a species of bird in the Columbidae family. It is found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes. References: BirdLife International 2004.
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Jambu fruit dove (Ptilinopus jambu): The Jambu Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus jambu, is a smallish colorful fruit-dove. It is a resident breeding species in southern Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei and the Indonesian islands of Kalimantan, Sumatra and Java. The Jambu Fruit Dove inhabits mangrove swamps and lowland rain forests up to 1,500 m and is also found in second growth woodland. The Jambu Fruit Dove is 23–27 cm long and weighs about 42 g. It is a plump small-headed bird with soft feathers and very distinctive colouring including a white eye ring, orange bill and red legs. The call is a soft, low coo. The male holds a breeding territory, advertised by raising its wings, bobbing its body and cooing. It will defend its territory with a quick peck if the territorial display fails. The female builds a flimsy nest of twigs, roots and grasses, which are collected by her mate, in a tree and lays one or sometimes two white eggs which are incubated for about 20 days to hatching, with a further 12 or more days to fledging. Extensive deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia means that this dove is now threatened, although its ability to live in second growth and at higher elevation means that its situation is not as critical as that of some forest bird species. The Jambu Fruit Dove is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
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Orange-Breasted Green-Pigeon (Treron bicinctus): From India through southeast Asia to southern Indonesia. This dove is common across its range wherever tropical forests are available with abundant fruit supplies, though habitat destruction is causing population declines. The soft colors of its plumage lack the harsh lines of prominent field marks many other colorful doves have, but the stunning colors – yellow, green, pink, orange and gray – blend together beautifully. This dove has a gentle appearance that makes it even more peaceful and lovely.
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Common bronzewing: Attractive brown pigeon with beautiful green and bronze iridescent coloration in the wings. Males have a bright yellow and white forehead that is absent in females. This species inhabits a great variety of habitats, and is often seen near a water source, alone or in pairs. When disturbed, they fly away in very direct flight with a loud clatter of wings. They only feed on the ground.
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Spinifex pigeon (Geophaps plumifera): Endemic to Australia. While many of the fruit-doves common in Australia avoid the continent’s driest regions, the spinifex pigeon actually prefers dry, rocky habitats. There, its rusty-colored plumage and dark gray and black striations blend in well for ideal camouflage. The boldly marked face stands out, as does the thin, tall crest. While there is some pet trade in these unusual birds, the population is relatively stable and they are not considered threatened.
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Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea): Also called the African rock dove, the speckled pigeon is widespread in rocky or scrubby open areas. Its range spreads throughout Sub-Saharan Africa as well as urban and suburban regions, though it is missing from the deepest jungles. Its buff, gray and rusty plumage is flecked with white, and the elongated neck feathers add distinct texture to its appearance. The wide red patch of bare skin around the yellow eye also gives this bird a bold and unmistakable expression.
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Rock Pigeon (Columba livia): Many birders overlook the common rock pigeon when considering beautiful pigeons, yet this bird’s blue-gray plumage, iridescent neck, and dark wing bars can be quite handsome. In feral populations in cities worldwide, these pigeons often develop a wide range of unusual colorations, from white to brown to red, giving them even more variety. Native to rocky cliffs of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, these birds have been introduced worldwide and are considered invasive in many areas.
