More Than Meets the Eye -- Silver Racing Homing Pigeon Framed Print

You may be surprised at what lies behind the orange eyes of a pigeon. Did you know that they're one of only seven known species that can recognize that the animal looking back at them in a mirror is not another creature, but their own reflection? That they are able to recognize letters of the alphabet and can know whether they're looking at a real word or gibberish? You can even take a pigeon like this racing homer over 500 miles from home, and if you release it and start driving home it might even beat you back. These birds were the original airmail, with service in Egypt as far back as 3000 B.C. They were war heroes: in World War II a pigeon named William of Orange is credited with delivering messages that saved over 2,000 lives.

So next time you're at the park and see a flock of these ubiquitous birds, set aside your prejudice thinking of them as "rats with wings" and instead look upon them with the respect that they deserve.

I have been photographing the things I see for over thirty years. A resident of San Luis Obispo County, I'm lucky to have many excellent photo destinations within a few minutes' or hours' drive. Beyond the local area, I have traveled throughout California and the western United States, visited far away American destinations such as Chicago, New York, Florida, and Alaska, and international destinations in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. My photography varies from Architecture to Industrial Art to Nature to Wildlife and I'm sure you'll find something suitable for your home or office. Visit my blog