The Maltese pigeon is a tall, upright fancy pigeon breed. Despite its name, there is little evidence of any link to Malta: breed histories place its development in Austria and Germany in the 19th century, possibly from a cross between a French Bagdad pigeon and a German variety. The Verge once called it the sexiest pigeon of all time (opens in new tab).
Origins of the Maltese Pigeon
You might think the clue to its origins is in its name, but there is little evidence that the Maltese pigeon has any connection to the Mediterranean island of Malta.
Some breed histories say that the current form of the Maltese pigeon was derived from a cross between a French Bagdad pigeon and a German variety, though its exact ancestry is not well documented.
Breed histories generally place its development in Austria and Germany in the 19th century rather than in Malta.
Maltese Pigeon Appearance
If you have ever seen a Maltese pigeon for yourself then you will know just how unique they are in the pigeon world.
The general form of the breed much more closely resembles that of a chicken, standing high on uniquely strong and straight legs.
In fact, there have been numerous videos of Maltese pigeons on TikTok where people have claimed that they have created a pigeon chicken hybrid, so don’t be fooled, it’s just a Maltese pigeon.
They have a short and compact body that appears very tucked up so as to give a cube shape rather the rounded shape of so many other pigeon breeds.
Its neck is very long and slender very much like that of a goose and the head is the same width as the neck. All colors other than white have orange eyes while white Maltese have bull-colored eyes.
The breed has very discrete eyelids.
They are very tall for pigeons, thanks to their long legs and upright stance.
The Maltese pigeon presents in a number of different colors, some of the most popular are:
- White
- Black
- Red
- Brown
- Blue hammered black
- Blue with black rods
- Brown with rods
- Hammered brown
- Red rods
Character of a Maltese Pigeon
Further enhancing their likeness to a chicken, the Maltese pigeon is not a great flyer.
Some believe this is a natural result of the peculiar, less than aerodynamic shape that the breed has developed into over the years.
The wings have very short flight feathers – in keeping with the plumage which is overall short.
Tame and amenable, the Maltese is definitely the gentle giant of the pigeon world.
Diet of the Maltese Pigeon
The Maltese pigeon very much follows the traditional seed and grain-based diet of the wider group of doves and pigeons.
Like other pigeons, they will eat things like seeds, berries, green leaves, fruits, shoots and sometimes even small insects or spiders.
When owned as pets, Maltese pigeons will receive all the nutrients they need from the commercial seeds mixes and supplements that are widely available.
If the owner wants to bestow any treats, these pigeons are rather fond of apples, pears, berries, lettuce, chickweed and clover.
How to Take Care of a Maltese Pigeon
The Maltese pigeon’s lack of flying talent and/or capability means that you don’t have to worry too much about maximum room for flight but due to their size, they should still be given adequate space.
When it comes to caring for a Maltese pigeon in a loft, it is very much about following the tried and tested basics and making sure that you don’t fall behind in the maintenance and cleaning of the bird’s space.
Other Interesting Facts about Maltese Pigeons
As tends to happen with any creature of the animal kingdom that boasts a strange or out-of-the-ordinary aesthetic, the Maltese pigeon is one of many birds that have experienced its five minutes of fame on social media!
In March of 2021 a TikTok user uploaded a video showcasing the bird’s distinctive long legs, hailing them to be the supermodels of the pigeon world.
@fancylove34 (opens in new tab) brown bar Maltese pigeon. please like and comments. thanks
♬ original sound – fancy (opens in new tab)
The wider TikTok community obviously thought so too, as the video reportedly gained more than 2.7 million views in a short time and spawned numerous memes:
In a different world, as the internet would lead us, the Maltese pigeon could have ended up with a name that might have been a concatenation of the words chicken and pigeon – chigeon or picken? Eek!
Last updated 31 October 2026 · Types