image credit: pigeons.biz
image credit: ananasamiami.com
image credit: en.wikipedia.org
image credit: pigeonfanciers.ca
Habitat: originated in Europe
Status: No Conservation Concerns
People can have some interesting hobbies. No, I’m not referring to collecting bottle caps or traveling to every paper clip factory in the Northern Hemisphere (just ‘cuz). I’m referring to fancy pigeon breeding. The Nun Pigeon, for example, has been developed over many years of selective breeding. All pigeons, including domesticated ones like the Nun, originated from the Rock Pigeon (Columba livia).
The Nun got its name from the raised feathers which encircle its black (or brown) head forming a makeshift hood. Nuns used to be referred to as the Dutch Shell Pigeon during the early part of the 20th century in Continental Europe… but obviously this name just sounds cooler.
There are a bunch of interesting pigeon breeds that I’ve been meaning to look into so I’ve decided to start a little post section called “The Pigeon Project.” Stay tuned because there are more peculiar pigeon breeds to come!
