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Step aside, “sexy koala” and “hunky kangaroo,” the Internet has got a new animal crush (and no, we’re not talking about the recent Lola Bunny incident). Twitter has recently been swooning over “hot pigeon". Unlike the feral gray city pigeons you might see pecking at a stray pizza slice on the sidewalk, this handsome fella is tinged with pastel hues of pink, orange, green, and yellow.
"Have u ever seen such a beautiful pigeon?," the original tweeter asked.
"Now, THAT's a fine pidgeon," one person commented.
"That is...the most fabulous pigeon I've ever seen," someone else remarked, gobsmacked by the beast's beauty.
"Is this what’s underneath all the dirt from the city?" asked another.
Rest assured, the “magical rainbow pigeon” is real, naturally-occurring, and very easy on the eyes.
The bird is a pink-necked green-pigeon (Treron vernans), a species of the pigeon and dove family, Columbida, commonly found in the mangroves, coastal forests, and parks of Southeast Asia. While the females of the species are typically olive green, the male is very well dressed in grey and green with a pinkish neck, an orange breast, and green-yellow wings. The species is shy yet very social and is often seen flying around in a flock. Compared to other pigeons and doves, they are not hugely vocal. They do, however, sometimes let out a strange, alien-sounding coo.
Some fans of the “hot pigeon” have also highlighted that there are many other sexy species of pigeon, from the pink-headed fruit dove to the Victoria crowned pigeon. Even the humble feral pigeon has its charm in certain lights, often sporting a purple-green coloration around their neck.
But of course, if we’re doing pigeon beauty contents, it must be said that the pink-necked green-pigeon is clearly the pick of the basket.
In other vaguely related pigeon news, have you ever wondered why you never see baby pigeons? IFLScience spoke to some experts to find out why.
