Carrier pigeon with a letter: what birds can be postmen? Heavenly postmen are carrier pigeons.

Carrier pigeons are considered unique birds. They have been used for many centuries to send the most critical and important messages to long distances. Nowadays, such birds are often called sporting (by the way, videos of such events are very popular), since they can often be found at various competitions among specialists in breeding and training birds. It is worth noting that there is no specific division into breeds, but the qualities of “postmen” can be seen in birds that were carefully selected among other relatives and were subjected to special training.

In principle, specialists use such a term as “carrier pigeons” less often than before. Nowadays the name “sports pigeons” has become more popular. In addition, in this century modern technologies With actively developing communication capabilities, they have no practical application. We can say that such birds can only be used in specialized competitions. Also characteristic feature All postal breeds can be considered their special adaptation to their place of residence. They are able to fly several hundred kilometers to the place where the letter was sent and return home safely, finding their home even after several weeks. Ornithological scientists have been studying this phenomenon for a long time, trying to understand unique nature birds of this breed. By watching amazing videos of those birds that even after several months return to their home, you can understand the amazing ability of birds to navigate in space.

Specifics of the origin of postal types

Pigeons have been known to mankind since ancient times. For the first time, pigeons were used as postmen in the territory Ancient Egypt. Records of their use date back as far as 5,000 years ago. Also around the same period of time, scientists found ancient records of such birds in the Ancient East. Then bird messengers served to convey business letters, messages and love messages between residents of areas far from each other. By the way, such notes were called “pigeongrams.” In this case, the message was attached directly to the pigeons’ legs or necks. And the letter itself was written on fabric or papyrus. Already during the bloody medieval crusades, birds were used by kings and princes for their messages to their vassals. Often the letters served as orders to attack enemy positions, etc. The descendants of modern birds of this breed are considered to be their Belgian counterparts. By the way, Belgian pigeons were initially divided into 3 breeds according to special characteristics:

Antwerp;
Lüttichskie;
Brussels sprouts

However, after some time, a decision was made to combine them into one breed.

Previously, all technical means of communication were poorly developed. Before the invention of radio, birds were used almost everywhere, so their breeding was a prestigious profession and was considered a very important occupation. They were simply irreplaceable in those days. There were repeated cases when, in those days, lovers of exploring the world on balloons got into accidents and the only thing that saved them from death was the postal breeds of birds. By the way, such cases were subsequently filmed and shown in thematic videos. But, unfortunately, modern communications have made practical application pigeons are ineffective. However, lovers of breeding these beautiful birds still engage in their favorite activity for the love of beauty.

Applications of birds

As already mentioned, using them in practice as postmen is, in principle, not effective. But pigeon breeding competitions are still being held. Interest in this activity increases from year to year, and the number of competitions increases. You can see many thematic videos on resources dedicated to breeding representatives of this breed. Any birds are allowed to participate in such competitions, regardless of their parameters, i.e. age and gender do not matter.

To participate in competitions you need to train for a very long time, and there are also certain nuances in the conditions of their detention. When the bird reaches the age of 3 years, it can be released far from home (from 1000 km). Special videos can easily teach all the features of this process.

Features of keeping and feeding this breed

It is recommended to feed birds abundantly, because they require special conditions. Usually the norm for 7 days is 410 g. and with increased feeding, the amount is doubled. Feeding is done three times a day, preferably at the same specific time period. In winter, food is made more saturated. Birds should only be kept in rooms that are absolutely dry, and there should be constant access to water.

Various types of birds

The classification of such birds is quite diverse, but there is no clear division. But the most famous and ancient species can still be identified. These include:

German;
Russian postal;
English quarries;
Antwerp, etc.

Each of them has its own characteristic features and the attributes that made them popular. The first two categories are the most popular among amateurs, but the ethnic relatives from Belgium are also not far behind them. Next, let's take a closer look at each of these categories of sporting birds.

German

Such flyers were the result of the painstaking work of livestock specialists from Germany. Antwerp and English individuals were crossed with each other. At the very beginning, after hatching, they looked more like ornamental birds. Their exterior was excellent, but their flight qualities were difficult to call outstanding. Breeders sought to breed fast-flying, early-maturing and attractive individuals. They were compact, the neck was long, and the beak was short. At the same time, the tail is short, the legs are high. Different plumage colors made it possible to obtain the most attractive individual.

Russians

This species was characterized by external similarity to its German counterpart, but the head was more elegant and the beak was sharp. The wings are quite strong, but the legs have no feathers. Rings around the eyes white, and the eyes themselves are red-orange. At the same time, plumage colors are either white or variegated with a wide variety of color combinations. There is also the most significant branch - Ostankino. Their eyes are black.

English

It was the distant ancestors of these birds that were used in Ancient China and Egypt for thousands of years to transmit postal messages. On European continent they arrived only in the 14th century. At the same time, the most better quality, which have crankcases with excellent external characteristics. The birds' bodies are large and their plumage is quite rigid. The posture is proud. The head is relatively small. The eyes have a pronounced brown-yellow or completely brown color. Paws are strong.

Antwerp or Belgian

The oldest breed of pigeon on the continent, created in the early 19th century. The chest is well developed, and the body itself has a rounded outline. The head is also rounded, but has average value, she sits on the middle neck. Dark eyes and pale eyelid colors, and the wings are close to the body, the tail is narrow. As for colors, they are very diverse: brown, gray, gray, black and even red.

Birds sports types – excellent flyers and quite attractive. Many hobbyists prefer to breed them. Any breed can cause mass positive emotions and impressions to their owner. But the peculiarities of breeding and training birds do not always allow novice bird lovers to achieve results. However, if you have enough experience in keeping sporting breeds, then they can only bring you pleasure.

Carrier pigeons are birds that were used to transmit messages and mail. The ability to perform this type of activity has been cultivated in birds for a long time. An important component is proper care behind them.

Pigeons can return to the area they call home from any corner of the earth, they are perfectly oriented in the area and can find their way. There is no exact data on how exactly birds do this, but theories have been put forward that they are guided by the position of the sun or sense the Earth’s magnetic field.

No matter how naturally gifted a bird is with the ability to find given places, it still needs to be taught and trained. These procedures begin from the very early age carrier pigeon.

Since in modern world Since mail is no longer delivered using birds, the term has changed a little in its appearance, such birds are now called racing pigeons. In order for a bird to have those qualities that will allow it to navigate well in space, poultry farmers have to work hard to find suitable relatives and breed the desired variety of pigeon. And already next step He will be trained. You can see exactly how homing pigeons are raised in various video recordings that are widely distributed on the Internet.

Carrier pigeons have been used by people since ancient times, in Egypt, in the East these postmen were used very often. During the Middle Ages, pigeons also faithfully served their masters and carried messages on their legs or necks.

It is believed that modern pigeons come from Belgium; it is not for nothing that there is such a breed of bird.

Feeding and caring for pigeons

Homing pigeons need to be fed well, because they sometimes have to travel long distances, not to mention frequent training. On average, one pigeon consumes about four hundred grams of food per week, but if the nutrition is enhanced, then the norm doubles, to eight hundred grams. It is customary to follow the bird’s diet so that they eat three times a day, and the meal times are the same. It is recommended to give the first feeding after the sun has risen, to feed the pigeons a second time at one o'clock in the afternoon, and the third feeding is carried out before the sun sets, before dusk. The nutritional value of food should be sufficient as in summer period, and in winter.

The food that is best suited for homing pigeons is: peas, yellow, lentils, vetch, in addition, it is important to add calcium and sand, lime, salt. To ensure a varied diet, the diet includes: boiled potatoes, bran, flax, its seeds, and rapeseed. It is very important that the pigeons clean water. No matter how much water you drink, it needs to be changed every day.

Pigeons are most often kept in special rooms, dovecotes, which should be dry and light. These houses are made so that they are not blown by the winds and the birds feel comfortable in them. If it is not possible to build a special room for pigeons, but the house has an attic, you can use it for these purposes, the main thing is to just do everything there necessary conditions for a pigeon, it is light and warmth and dryness. It is important for birds that they have free access to fly out of the house and a place where they can land.

Breeds of pigeons

Homing pigeons are considered the oldest of all pigeon breeds. These birds are larger in size compared to ordinary pigeons; in addition, the beak of postmen is larger. Distinctive feature It is also true that carrier pigeons have circles around their eyes and a cere. These breeds were specially bred to best meet the requirements: flight speed, endurance and ability to learn.

The breeds of birds called homing pigeons are not clearly defined, but the most basic ones can be identified:

Russian pochtars have a sharp beak and an elegant head shape. The structure of the wings is also different, they are much stronger than those of ordinary pigeons, have bends at the end, and are pressed close to the body. The birds' legs are elongated and have no feathers at all. The eye color of this breed is orange-red with white rings. Most Russian pochtars are white, however, there are also variants with variegated plumage.
German homing pigeons are distinguished by the fact that Dutch and English homing birds were used to breed them. These manipulations were carried out in order to breed a breed that would have a high flight speed, would have beautiful appearance and quickly mature and grow. As a result of selection work, a small pigeon was obtained, in which the beak has a shortened shape and the neck is elongated. The tail of these birds is also shortened, but the legs are elongated. German pigeons have large eyes. The color of the plumage can be very diverse: white, gray, brown, reddish, yellowish.
English pigeons - these birds have the most extensive pedigree, it begins in Egypt and the countries of the East. These birds were brought to Europe in the fourteenth century, after which they appearance and the characteristics have improved to modern look. These pigeons have very good flight characteristics Moreover, they are beautiful in appearance. The head of English pigeons is not large sizes, the plumage is hard, the body is large. This variety is endowed big eyes, which have eyelids. The structure of the pigeon's beak is straight and thick, it is elongated, and there are growths on it that look like warts. The plumage of this breed can be: gray, motley, white, black, chestnut, yellow.
Belgian Pochtari – This breed can also be considered an old one. Noticeable improvements were made in the nineteenth century by mixing this breed with the Turbit and Homer pigeons. The body shape of this pigeon is round. The head is also round in appearance. A distinctive feature of these pigeons is the chest, which is well formed. The neck is not large, the legs are short. The eyes of Belgian pigeons are dark and the eyelids are pale. The tail is narrow in structure, the wings have a shortened structure of feathers that are pressed tightly to the back. The color variations of these pigeons are very diverse, they are: red, gray, yellow, gray, black, brown.
Dragons - these birds were among the first to be used as messenger birds, because they have good characteristics flight and very easily navigate in space. The body of these pigeons has a dense build, the head is large and widens towards the neck. The eyes of these doves large size, the iris is red-yellow. The structure of the beak is tightly closed and long. The neck is short, the chest is rounded and slightly raised. The dragon's wings are very strong, their ends touch the dove's tail, which is lowered. This breed is characterized by increased activity and moderate demands on living conditions and feeding.
Czech pigeons - these birds are distinguished by their ability to be easily trained, which is why they are often used in various exhibitions and competitions. The structure of the neck of these pigeons is elongated; there is a growth on the beak, which has a soft structure. A distinctive feature of this breed of pigeons is their unusually large eyes, which makes these birds partly decorative. The tail is short, the body is regular, the plumage is smooth. It is this breed of pigeon that is still used today as short-distance messenger birds.

All types of pigeons can be found in various video reports, which are kindly provided by poultry farmers on a wide variety of websites.

Pigeon training

How does a pigeon learn to fly long distances, deliver mail and return home?

They raise the bird from the very beginning young age, once the pigeon reaches six weeks of age and is completely covered. With feathers, the first thing pigeons are taught is to fly around the dovecote. If the bird has been in its new home for more than three days, classes can be carried out with it. This stage of training lasts approximately six weeks, after which a new, more difficult period in training begins. Pigeons begin to be taken away from home and their task is to return to where they came from. The distance increases over time, and the bird gets used to quickly orienting itself and quickly finding its home.

The first year of training has its limits in the distance the pigeon can be separated from home, which is approximately three hundred kilometers. It is not recommended to reduce the distance of the route, because this negatively affects the birds. If the pigeon’s route is about a hundred kilometers, then it needs to be given about a day to rest. If the duration and range of the flight are long, then the pigeon needs rest for three to four days. It is important to keep track of all activities carried out with pigeons; all information should be recorded in detail.

The most comfortable time for training pigeons is considered to be the second half of April, and it lasts until October. On your first flights, it is important to choose good weather, so that there is good clear weather, moderate wind. In such conditions, it will be easier for the bird to navigate and find a home. As soon as the pigeon begins to cope well with the task, you can choose weather that is less favorable for flight and look at the result. If the bird did well, it means that the training process is very successful. If the first attempts were unsuccessful, then you should postpone flying in bad weather.

When the pigeons are well enough trained in the most basic task, they can come up with a variety of exercises that will develop not only the instinct to find a home, but also the thinking of the birds. Trained birds can gradually become lazy and apathetic if you don’t come up with anything new and unusual for them, and this is fraught with set excess weight and loss of previously acquired skills. You can release pigeons on a full route, about once a month, and do this for each individual, releasing one after another, regulating the time. Thus, it will be possible to see how each of the pigeons copes with the task.

An important point when training a homing pigeon is the mating of the birds. This aspect needs to be taken care of before serious training is undertaken, otherwise the bird may find a partner outside the house and may simply fly away from it. In the dovecote, females sit separately from males.

In order to release a bird during the course, it is important to catch it. If you do this procedure yourself in daylight, the pigeon may not like the situation and will not return home. In order to avoid this, it is important to catch birds in nets, to which they also need to be accustomed. As for the night time, pigeons behave calmly at this time if they are handled.

To prevent birds from losing their stamina, they need to be kept in baskets for as little time as possible, so they need to be transported quickly. It is necessary that the birds be accompanied on the journey by someone they trust.

It is important to release homing pigeons on their journey in the morning, because departure after twelve in the afternoon can have dire consequences for the health of the bird.

All the details of training and reports from poultry farmers can be viewed on specialized videos that will help you get a much more complete picture and understand what training homing pigeons is, who should do it and how.

Since ancient times, people have needed to send messages over long distances. In the distant past, covering such distances took a lot of time, and birds became the first assistants in this matter. Yes, now mail delivery is no longer a particular problem. Therefore, it is generally accepted that the carrier pigeon is something archaic, a tribute to history. In fact, interest in these unique birds continues to this day. Only now they are almost never used to deliver letters, but rather participate in sports competitions.

Previously, carrier pigeons were widely used to transmit postal messages, but interest in birds of this breed continues to this day.

Mentions of carrier pigeons are found in many ancient Chinese, Greek and Egyptian manuscripts. Even in Old Testament It is this bird that brings the news of the nearby land to Noah. These birds showed the greatest effectiveness during wars, helping to promptly notify about tactical changes and thereby predetermining the outcome of the battle. Thus, it was not for nothing that the Sultan of the Egyptian and Syrian kingdoms, Mahmud Nur ad-Din, gave as much as 1000 denarii for a couple of good feathered postmen. When the King of France committed crusade to one of the most important port cities of the Sultanate and took it, carrier pigeons quickly brought the news of this to Mahmud. He counterattacked and defeated the enemy.

There are plenty of such examples in history, and feathered postmen have brought enormous benefits in other areas. Therefore, many countries have taken these birds into public service. Over time, they even began to print “pigeon” stamps.

In ancient times, good carrier pigeons were worth their weight in gold.

Orientation mechanism

Many representatives of the animal world have the ability to navigate the terrain, sometimes covering enormous distances and never making a mistake in the direction. Carrier or racing pigeons, as they are now called, are able to return to their nest, being more than 500 km away from it. This one distinctive feature and used to send letters, and the addressee could live in big city, but the bird flew towards him. That is, a dove always delivers a message to the place where it has a nest.

So what is the secret that allows the carrier pigeon, maintaining high speed flight, getting to your destination? Scientists are still struggling with this mystery, but lately They have made significant progress in this, and even the term “homing” has appeared - the instinct to return home.

The exact mechanism of homing pigeon orientation is still not fully understood.

The pigeon brain is a perfect model of a navigator, storing information coming from outside into its memory. The eyes of this bird filter out the unnecessary, leaving only the details related to its route. This same feature allows the pigeon to effectively use human roads for its own purposes, which serve as additional landmarks for it. And thanks to the “internal compass”, which is located in the bird’s beak, it remembers the characteristics of the magnetic fields around its nest for the rest of its life and can then accurately find it.

A sporting pigeon is able not only to find its way home, but also to predict weather changes in advance. It detects sound vibrations below 10 Hz, so it senses impending sharp displacements air masses. Some scientists even believe that this bird, unlike its fellows, has an excellent sense of smell.

Breeds

Most feathered postmen belong to the oldest breeds. All of them are large in size, with a noticeably developed beak, upper beak and eye rings. These birds are fast, resilient and easy to train. Thus, the speed of a carrier pigeon can reach 80 km/h, and some of them are capable of covering distances of up to 1100 km. The most famous representatives of such pigeon breeds are:

Russians. They are distinguished by an elegant head shape and a pointed beak. The wings with curved tips are pressed tightly against the body, their muscles are well developed. The legs are long, without feathers. The iris of the eyes is red-orange, with light rims. Russian carrier pigeons are most often white, although there are subspecies with variegated plumage.
German. This breed is a mixture of English and Dutch feathered postmen. Pigeon is different long paws and neck, short beak, large eyes. The color of birds of the German breed can include a variety of shades.
English. These are the descendants of the famous carrier pigeons, bred by our distant ancestors in Egypt and eastern countries. They came to us back in the 14th century, and after a series of crossings it turned out modern breed. These birds are quite large, with a small head, large eyes and hard plumage. Their beak is elongated and straight, with characteristic growths. The color of the feathers of English pigeons can be white, dove-gray, black, yellow, brownish or variegated.
Belgian. Also an improved breed, the gene pool of which included turbites, German homers, owls and Antwerp show pigeons. The birds are distinguished by their rounded body and head and strong chest. Eyes of a dark shade with light eyelids. The wings are pressed tightly to the body, the paws are small, the feathers are short and of quite varied colors. Based on the names of the cities where these feathered postmen were bred, they are also called Antwerp, Brussels and Lüttich. Although for 200 years now it has been customary to combine these subspecies, since the gene pool of Belgian pigeons includes all of them.
Dragons. These pigeons have been used as postal pigeons relatively recently - from the 18th - 19th centuries. Dragons are closely related to the famous quarries, but scientists cannot yet decide which of these breeds is the predecessor. The bird has a dense body, a strong beak, a short neck and a convex chest. The wingspan is large, their muscles are well developed. These birds are distinguished by their mobility and, compared to other breeds of homing pigeons, require less care.
Czechs. In professional sports this breed not very popular, but these birds are extremely loyal and easy to train, so novice breeders prefer them. Moreover, Czech pigeons have a strong immune system and rarely get sick. They have an elongated neck, proportional build and smooth plumage. Birds have a characteristic growth on their beak. The disadvantage is that the distance they can cover is small.

There are many breeds of homing pigeons.

There is a myth that the plumage of all postmen must be white. It is supported by numerous pictures and films. In fact, white homing pigeons are quite rare and are mainly used at various special events, such as weddings.

Content Features

The optimal age for purchasing postal breed chicks is 35 days. The younger ones do not yet know how to feed themselves, the older ones will simply fly away and not return. They are stamped, numbered and the following data is noted:

time of birth and breed;
belonging to one or another nest in a dovecote;
training goals;
serial number.

Raising a good homing pigeon is quite difficult.

Upon reaching 5 months of age, when the birds are fully mature, they mate. Both parents take care of the offspring, and the chicks really need such support. Mating is repeated 3 times a year, pigeons are monogamous and spend their entire lives together. Only those whose parents were 3-4 years old are considered postal.

Many people wrongly consider pigeon mail to be an archaic fashion. The rarest instinct of pigeons, called “homing” by scientists, has made these birds the best postmen since ancient times. How did carrier pigeons originate and what types of pigeons do we suggest you learn from our article with interesting photos and video.

Pigeon mail is one of the most ancient methods of transmitting messages at a distance, in which letters were delivered using pigeons. The first reports of such mail can be found in the Old Testament, where Noah releases a dove from the ark and then waits for its return. Pigeon mail was used in Ancient China, Greece, and Egypt. It is known that during the Gallic War, Caesar sent messages to his supporters in Rome using pigeon mail.

For the first time, the state pigeon post was created by the ruler of Egypt and Syria, Sultan Nureddin. At his behest, postal pigeon towers were erected in 1167 large quantities. The Sultan also learned from a dovegram that the crusaders landed in Egypt in 1249. At that time, carrier pigeons such as Carriers, Bagdet and Skanderun were used for communication.

The principle of pigeon mail

How does pigeon mail work? A pigeon tied to its permanent habitat will always return to its nest as soon as the opportunity arises. Birds fly hundreds of kilometers at a speed of 70 kilometers per hour to deliver a note attached to their leg - a pigeongram. At the same time, they are excellent at navigating unfamiliar terrain and will always find their way home.

Even current scientists cannot fully understand the mechanism that allows pigeons to choose a flight direction that leads to home. The pigeon's brain is so developed that it can be called a natural computer. This computer can receive, process and store large amounts of information. Pigeons have acute vision and excellent memory, thanks to which they determine their flight route based on visual impressions. Living close to people, birds learned to use their roads.

In addition, pigeons have a special “internal magnet” located at the base of their beak. With its help, the hatched chick determines the level of magnetic tension around its nest and remembers it for life.

Postman breeds

Carrier pigeons are considered one of the oldest. The main difference is that they have a powerful, thick beak, and the birds themselves are large. Most have a well-developed cere and ring around the eye. Pigeons of these breeds were bred from the very beginning to deliver information, so high demands were placed on them in terms of endurance, flight speed and the ability to learn.

They can cover a distance of up to 1100 kilometers. You can see everything in the video and photo distinctive features postmen. there are a lot, among them there are Russian, German, English, Belgian, Czech and Hungarian.

Russian postal

Russian carrier pigeons have a very graceful head and a sharp beak. The wings of birds are very strong, pressed tightly to the body, their ends are curved. The legs are long and have no feathers. The eyes are orange-red in color and have white rings around them. The plumage of Russian carrier pigeons is most often white, but there are variegated varieties.

German

These birds were bred as a result of the work of German breeders, who used English and Dutch pigeons to develop the breed. It was assumed that the pigeon would be early maturing, beautiful and capable of flying quickly. The result was a compact bird with an elongated neck and shortened beak, long legs, a short tail and wide eyes. The color of the plumage of this breed varies; there are white, brown, gray, yellow and red tones. Oh look in this video.

English

They are descendants of Carriers, who were bred in Egypt and the countries of the East. They were brought to the European continent in the 14th century, where the breed was improved and modern Quarries with magnificent appearance and flying qualities arose. English quarry It has a large body, stiff feathers, a small head and large brown eyes with large eyelids. The beak of English breed pigeons is thick, long, straight and also has wart-like growths. The plumage of this breed can be variegated or gray, black, white, yellow, chestnut.

Belgian

This is a fairly old breed, which was improved in the 19th century by the Homer and Turbit breeds. Pigeons of this breed have a round body with a well-shaped chest, a round head and a medium-sized neck. The eyes have dark color, eyelids are pale. The Belgian's wings are pressed tightly to the back, and the tail is narrow. The legs are small, the feathers are short, fitting tightly to the body. The color of this breed can be very different: blue, red, gray, yellow, brown, black.

Dragons

Pigeons of this breed immediately began to be used as pigeon post, because they flew well and showed excellent orientation in the area.

Distinctive features of the breed are a dense body, a round head that widens towards the neck, and large red-yellow eyes. Dragons have a long, tightly closed beak, a short neck and a raised, rounded chest. The wings of birds are long and strong, their tips lie on the drooping tail. Pigeons of this breed are hyperactive and do not have high requirements for housing and feeding conditions.

Unique and useful, carrier pigeons have long been very popular. Indeed, in the old days, it was thanks to these birds that kings and counts received important letters from their officials. We suggest you read how these birds appeared and what types they come in in our article with educational videos. And pictures and photos various breeds carrier pigeons will be a great addition to reading.

Carrier pigeons are unique look birds used many thousands of years ago to convey important messages over long distances. Nowadays, such birds are called sporting birds. There is no definite gradation into distinct breeds in this type of pigeon, however, postal qualities are developed in this species of birds only through persistent selection of relatives and training. Nowadays, “homing pigeon” is used very rarely as a term, but “sports pigeon” is used often.

The actual application of the qualities of this category of pigeons is only in special competitions. Such birds become very accustomed to their place of residence and can find their home even after hundreds of kilometers. This phenomenon is widely studied by ornithologists because it is unique in nature. Next we suggest you look interesting video about postal birds.

Where did they come from?

The first mention of postal birds dates back to the period of development of the civilization of Ancient Egypt, that is, about 5 thousand years ago. There are chronicles about such pigeons in the East. In those days, with such messengers they mainly transmitted business mail, as well as love messages. Papyrus or other fabric was wrapped around the leg or attached to the neck. Later, in early Middle Ages, the carrier pigeon served the crusaders and kings. Well, Belgium is officially considered the birthplace of the descendants of modern postal birds.

Application

Currently, post flyers are used only for participation in club competitions and aesthetic pleasure. Moreover, pigeons are allowed to participate in such competitions, regardless of age and gender. In order to fix professional qualities, birds are advised to constantly train and maintain in a certain way. When the bird reaches three years of age, it begins to be released at distances of more than 1000 km from its place of residence. We suggest watching the following video in more detail about how birds are trained.

Feeding and maintenance

Feeding homing pigeons may require more feed than for ordinary, ornamental breeds. On a regular diet, the usual amount of feed per week is 410 grams, and on a reinforced diet - about 820 grams per week. Pets are fed at the same time three times a day (after sunrise, at one o'clock in the afternoon and before dusk). During the frosty season, feeding should also be nutritious and intensive.

Main types of food: yellow peas, lentils, vetch, calcium supplements, sand, lime, salt, boiled potatoes, bran, flax seeds, rapeseed. Pets should be given fresh water regularly, which is changed every day. These birds are kept in dry rooms with sufficient lighting; dovecotes are usually built of wood, well protected from the wind. IN rural areas They often keep birds in attics. The main maintenance conditions are warmth and dryness, the possibility of flight, and a spacious area for landing.

What are the different types?

Homing pigeons do not have a clear division into categories, however, even here we can distinguish several of the most famous and long-standing breeds. For example, English quarries, Russian postal, German, Antwerp and others. You can learn more about them from the training video and photos that we provide on our website.

By the way, German and Russian birds are very popular all over the world, along with the ethnic postman birds - the Belgians. Next we will look at the most popular ones, and in the pictures you can see what they look like. Following entertaining video from a pigeon nursery where sport flyers are kept and trained.

Postal German

These flyers are the result of work done by German livestock specialists by crossing English and Antwerp individuals. At the time of breeding, German postal ones looked more like decorative ones, because the selection was carried out based on their exterior, and not flight qualities. It was thought that the dove would be precocious, fast-flying and beautiful. Externally, it is a compact bird with a long neck and short beak, tall on its legs, with a short tail and large eyes. The colors are very different: white, brown, gray, yellow, red. In the picture below you will see all the details of the flyer’s appearance.

Postal Russians

The Russian postal bird is somewhat similar to the German one, but has a more graceful head and a sharper beak at the end. The wings are strong, slightly curved at the ends, the legs are without feathers, quite long, there are white rings around the eyes, the eyes are orange-red. In terms of color, Russian postal mailers can be single-colored or variegated. different colors. Separately, it is worth mentioning the Ostankino pigeons - an offshoot of Russian pigeons, they have black eyes.

English quarries

The ancestors of the quarries lived in Egypt and countries Ancient East. They came to Europe only in the 14th century, as a result of which modern quarries with excellent appearance and flying abilities appeared. The English quarry has a large body, stiff plumage, a small head and large brown or yellow-brown eyes with voluminous eyelids. The beak is long, straight and thick with growths (warts). The color can be variegated or monochromatic - gray, black, white, yellow, chestnut.

Antwerp (Belgian)

Old Belgian breed, improved in the 19th century by the Homers and Turbites. The body is round, with a well-developed chest, rounded head and medium-sized neck. The eyes are dark, the eyelids are pale, wings close to the back and a narrow tail. The legs are medium in size, the feathers are short, and fit tightly to the body. The colors are very different: gray, gray, brown, pale blue, black, yellow, red. In the picture below you can see what the Antwerp Sports Flyer looks like.