The Pink-Necked Green Pigeon Is Like Something Out Of A Pastel Dream

By Amy Pilkington, Diply

In my time writing about animals and birds for Diply, I've learned that more than a few cultural assumptions we all have are just plain wrong.

One of those is that pigeons are dirty, grey urban birds that aren't worth paying much attention to beyond shooing them from balconies. However, that's only one breed of pigeon and it turns out that the world is full of incredibly beautiful ones.

I mean, just look at this Pink-Necked Green Pigeon!

While the females are mostly green — hence the name — the males are proving that pastels are totally in this season.

It's not just their pink necks that are bright. They also have orange chests and bright yellow bellies.

And then there are the feet and eyes!

I wouldn't have thought a bird could naturally have hot pink feet, but these guys put Barbie to shame. A matching hot pink ring makes their blue eyes really striking.

These pastel dreams are common throughout Southeast Asia and have adapted to human environments easily.

That's right. There are cities in the world where these are the common urban pigeons. They can survive happily pretty much anywhere there are fruit trees.

That's because these guys love their fruit, particularly figs.

That diet also explains their colorful plumage, which actually makes for good camouflage in the branches of blossoming or ripe fruit trees.

See more at: Diply