Ever heard of the Nicobar pigeon? It’s the closest living relative to the extinct flightless Dodo bird, and the colorful bird is absolutely stunning.

Even though they’re relatives to this legendary extinct animal, The Nicobar pigeon looks nothing like the Dodo. One of their differences is Nicobar’s luminous colors. It has reddish legs, a white tail, and is covered in blue, copper, and green feathers. The reason for the beautiful birds’ colorful characteristics is their location – coastal regions from the Nicobar Islands and small islands, where there aren’t many natural predators that these rare birds would need to conceal themselves from. According to the IUCN, the Nicobar pigeon is considered “near threatened”.

mage credits: Sue Demetriou

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Image credits: Sue Demetriou

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