Pigeons’ eyes look red or orange because the iris holds yellow-orange pigments called pteridines on top of reflective guanine crystals, and blood vessels in the outer iris add red. This orange “gravel” eye is the wild type. Newly hatched pigeons have dark eyes, and some domestic breeds have white “pearl” or black “bull” eyes.
Please note: this article is general information and is not a substitute for advice from an avian vet or a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. If you have found an injured or sick bird, contact a vet or your local rescue (see our list of pigeon-friendly rescue centres).
Pigeon eye colours at a glance
| Eye colour | What is in the iris | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| Orange to red (“gravel”) | Yellow-orange pteridines and white guanine crystals, with red from blood vessels | Wild rock doves, feral pigeons and most domestic pigeons |
| White (“pearl”) | Guanine only, no pteridines; blood vessels give a pink tinge | Many racing pigeons, tumblers and other breeds; a recessive trait |
| Black (“bull”) | No pigment cells in the front of the iris, so dark pigment behind shows through | Mostly white or white-patched pigeons |
| Pink | No pigment at all; blood shows through | Albino pigeons, which are rare |
| Dark brown or grey | Pigments not yet developed | Squabs and young pigeons up to 2–3 months old |
Why are pigeons’ eyes red?
The colour comes from two things. In an orange-eyed pigeon, pigment cells at the front of the iris hold crystals of guanine, which look white and reflect light, and at least two yellow pteridine pigments, which tint that light yellow to orange. Researchers studying pigeon eye colour in 2021 found that all of the red in pigeon eyes comes from blood vessels in the outer iris.
So the more blood vessels show, the redder the eye looks. Two pigeons with the same pigments can have eyes from yellow-orange to deep red, and the colour can seem to change with the light. Learn.Genetics at the University of Utah describes the wild-type eye as orange pigment that looks darker orange or red where it is covered by fine blood vessels.
Orange is the ancestral colour, seen in wild rock doves. Other birds use the same system: pteridines and purines such as guanine are behind most light-coloured eyes in birds, according to a review published in Ibis. For the structure of the eye, see pigeon anatomy.
Why do some pigeons have white eyes?
White, or “pearl”, eyes have the reflective guanine but none of the yellow pteridines, so the iris looks white with a pinkish tinge from blood vessels. In 2021 three research groups independently traced pearl eyes to the same mutation, a change in the gene SLC2A11B that cuts the protein short. Si and colleagues estimated that the mutation arose about 5,400 years ago, after pigeons were domesticated.
Pearl is recessive to orange: a pigeon needs two copies of the pearl gene to have white eyes, so two orange-eyed parents can produce a pearl-eyed chick. For more on how pigeon traits are inherited, see pigeon colour genetics.
Black eyes and pink eyes
Bull eyes look black because there are no pigment cells in the front of the iris at all, so the dark pigment at the back of the eye shows through. They are common in white and pied pigeons; the white king pigeon, for example, is bred with dark eyes, and in the Ice pigeon the eye colour depends on the wing pattern.
Pink eyes are different. Albino pigeons make no pigment at all, so their eyes look pink or red from the blood inside. True albinos are rare; most white pigeons are not albino and have dark bull eyes.
When do baby pigeons’ eyes change colour?
Every pigeon hatches with dark eyes. In birds that will have orange or pearl eyes, the iris gradually brightens over two to three months, according to Si and colleagues. Eye colour is one of the easiest ways to tell a young feral pigeon from an adult; see what a baby pigeon looks like for other signs.
Odd eyes, cracked eyes and eye sign
Pigeon breeders use names for other variations. “Odd-eyed” birds have one eye of each colour, and “cracked” eyes have dark streaks or patches breaking up the iris colour. These differences are usually harmless and do not affect sight. Some racing pigeon fanciers also study the patterns around the pupil, known as eye sign, to pick breeding birds; see eye sign in pigeons. For how well pigeons see, read pigeon eyesight.
When are red eyes a sign of illness?
A red or orange iris is normal. What matters is the area around the eye. Check for:
- swollen or red eyelids, or one eye kept half closed
- watery, frothy or crusty discharge, or feathers stuck together around the eye
- warty growths on the eyelids, cere or corners of the beak
- a cloudy or dull eye, or a pupil that looks different from the other side
A veterinary review of pigeon diseases lists “one-eye cold”, an eye infection that can be caused by Mycoplasma, Chlamydophila psittaci or other bacteria, and notes that swollen, weeping eyes are often the first sign of pigeon pox. Chlamydophila psittaci can also infect people, so wash your hands after handling a bird with sore eyes; see ornithosis in pigeons.
A pigeon with these signs needs a vet or a rescue that treats pigeons. If you have found a wild bird that is sick or hurt, see what to do if you find an injured pigeon and our guide to sick pigeon symptoms.
Frequently asked questions
Why do pigeons have red eyes?
Their irises contain yellow-orange pteridine pigments over white guanine crystals, and blood vessels in the outer iris add red. The more vessels show, the redder the eye looks.
Do all pigeons have red eyes?
No. Wild-type pigeons have orange to red eyes, but some breeds have white (pearl) or black (bull) eyes, albinos have pink eyes, and young pigeons have dark eyes.
What does a pigeon with red eyes mean?
Usually nothing: a red or orange iris is normal. Swollen red eyelids, discharge or a half-closed eye can mean an infection and need a vet.
Why do some pigeons have white eyes?
White pearl eyes lack the yellow pteridine pigment. They are caused by a recessive mutation in the gene SLC2A11B that arose after domestication.
Why do pigeons have orange eyes?
Orange is the wild-type colour, from yellow-orange pteridines in the iris. Eyes with more visible blood vessels look red rather than orange.
When do baby pigeons’ eyes change colour?
Pigeons hatch with dark eyes, and the iris brightens to orange or pearl over about two to three months.
Sources
We checked each source on 3 November 2026.
- Si, S. et al. (2021). The genetics and evolution of eye color in domestic pigeons (Columba livia). PLOS Genetics (opens in new tab)
- Maclary, E. T. et al. (2021). Two genomic loci control three eye colors in the domestic pigeon. Molecular Biology and Evolution (opens in new tab)
- Review (2023). The mechanistic, genetic and evolutionary causes of bird eye colour variation. Ibis (opens in new tab)
- Learn.Genetics, University of Utah: Pigeon inherited characteristics (eyes) (opens in new tab)
- Bacterial and parasitic diseases of Columbiformes. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice (opens in new tab)
- RSPCA: Injured pigeons (opens in new tab)
Last updated 3 November 2026 · Facts