When did you last see a pigeon? Was it eating fast food leftovers in the park? Bothering you while you were trying to dine al fresco? Pooing on a statue?

Pigeons are everywhere in many modern cities, and they’re not much loved for it.

But Canadian photographer Brendan Burden believes we’ve forgotten about the pigeon’s beauty. That’s why, in this series of photos, he celebrates the world of “fancy pigeons”.

Humans have been keeping pigeons for at least 10,000 years, in fact they may well have been the first bird to be domesticated. Fancy pigeons, kept primarily for their beauty, have been around almost as long, and are even depicted on Egyptian tomb hieroglyphs.

Through the use of formal portrait techniques, Burden presents pigeons with an esteem normally reserved for grander subjects. 

So next time you see one, you’ll remember that these birds are more than just pests in the park.