Pigeons are different breeds. Description of some breeds of pigeons

People first domesticated pigeons more than 5 thousand years ago. Since then, scientists and folk breeders have bred a great variety of pigeon breeds, different in body shape, color and purpose. IN modern world There are more than 800 breeds of pigeons; about two hundred native breeds of pigeons live in Russia.

In the video, the nursery "Pigeons of Russia"

Classification of pigeon breeds

Charles Darwin proposed classifying pigeon breeds according to their appearance. visible signs and inherited standards. At the same time, he believed that it was necessary to pay attention only to the most essential features and the most significant differences are in the exterior.

The scientist divided all available breeds of pigeons into four groups. The first included all subspecies of pouters, distinguished by a large esophagus separated from the crop, which birds often inflate, elongated legs and body, and a medium-sized beak. The scientist identified four subbreeds of pouters according to their place of origin: English, Dutch, German, Belgian.

In the second group, Darwin included warty pigeons, these are messengers, Polish and pigeons, distinguished by a long and wide beak, large paws, swollen skin over the nostrils, wrinkled and bare skin around the eyes.

He characterized the third group as an artificial group, including a heterogeneous collection different forms. The beak of birds of this group is shorter than that of the field pigeon, the skin around the eyes is bare and not very developed. In the third group, Darwin included several subspecies of medium-billed and short-billed pigeons: gulls - owls, fantails - peacocks, tumblers, Indians, Jacobins and others.

The fourth included long-billed pigeons: trumpeter, or trump pigeon, laughing pigeons and fire pigeons, not much different in structure from the wild pigeon.

In 1869, at a congress of pigeon breeders in Dresden, another classification was adopted, which divided all known breeds into 10 groups:

Pouters
Warty
Seagulls
Gigantic
Chicken
Peacocks
Racing pigeons or flyers
Trumpeters
Jacobins
Variegated pigeons

The book “Guide to Pigeon Breeding,” published in 1964 in the GDR, describes eight groups of pigeons, and the ninth includes other pigeons, including Soviet ones.

According to practical use, pigeons are divided into four groups: sports or homing, flying or racing, decorative, sports and decorative, meat - each of these groups consists of many breeds of pigeons. Let's take a closer look at them.

Breeds of sporting or homing pigeons

The ancient Romans and Greeks first began using pigeons to deliver letters. Later, pigeons were taught to carry out postal service in other countries of the world - in those days it was the fastest and most reliable way to deliver letters.

Carrier or racing pigeons were used for these purposes until the 20th century, that is, before the invention of such means of communication as the telephone, telegraph and mail. Now pigeons have lost their practical purpose; they are used only to participate in high-speed flight competitions, so common name“postal” has changed to “sports”.

Birds of sporting breeds of pigeons are different high speed flights - in a day they are able to cover a distance of 1200 km and return to their native dovecote. Racing pigeons are also valued for unique ability quickly and accurately navigate the terrain. These qualities are innate and inherited; pigeons of other breeds do not have them, and they do not participate in sporting competitions.

The English Quarry pigeon breed was obtained in England by crossing ancient Asian pigeons with Baghdad pigeons brought to Europe. This breed differs from other racing pigeons in having leathery growths on its beak and eyes, which is why it is also considered decorative. See photo.

English quarries have excellent flying qualities and fully justify the name sports.

Breed standard: wide chest, upright posture, very long, vertical neck, long legs and beak, straight skull shape. The color of birds can be variegated or monochromatic - black, white, red, blue.

This breed is considered the best among all sporting breeds. The main features of sport pigeons are speed and flight range, as well as the ability to navigate well, and not external beauty, so the Belgian sport pigeon looks rather modest and simple, just like a wild rock pigeon.

Breed standard: medium body size, muscular, developed chest, wings and tail medium length, rounded small head, pointed beak, unfeathered legs. The plumage of the body is silky without roughness. The color is most often blue or gray, but in general it can be anything.

Belgian racing pigeons are repeated world champions in speed and orienteering, which is why their cost is quite high. For example, in 2012, one copy was sold to China for almost 330 thousand dollars.

Breeds of flying or racing pigeons

For high-flying pigeons, such parameters as the height to which they can rise, flight time and flight style are important; decorative qualities do not come first. There are several subspecies of flying or racing pigeons.

High-flying pigeons are characterized by the fact that the whole flock rises from the dovecote at the same time and circles around it high in the sky. Sometimes they rise so high that they are not visible from the ground - this is the most valuable property of flying pigeons. Without landing, birds can stay in the sky for up to 15 hours.

Racing pigeons, rising into the sky, love to circle over the dovecote and somersault over the wing. Their value lies in their ability to perform acrobatic performances.

Fighting pigeons do not fly very high into the sky, but they like to somersault in the air, performing single or serial somersaults in a horizontal or vertical direction. Vertical somersaults, or pillars, can be 10-15 meters in height, which is especially valued among fighting pigeons. When tumbling, pigeons beat their wings so hard that they can hear a clicking sound, which gave the representatives of this subspecies their name.

Roller pigeons perform somersaults through one wing and rotate around their axis.

Gdańsk high-flying pigeon - tumbler. As the name implies, the breed was developed in the city of Gdansk (Poland) in the mid-19th century by crossing Indian and Persian pigeons.

Breed standard: long, light body, pointed beak, medium-length unfeathered paws, a crest of feathers on the back of the head, a wide tail consisting of 16-18 feathers. Color white, black, red, yellow, motley, brindle, lace.

There are high-flying pigeon breeds in Russia, these are Perm, Sverdlovsk, Kazan, Izhevsk, Stavropol, Kursk and other breeds. The standards and features of the exterior of many of these pigeons are registered and approved by international specialized organizations. The video shows Sverdlovsk high-flying pigeons.

The Berlin short-billed tumbler is a representative of the subspecies of fighting pigeons. The breed appeared in Germany in the 19th century, and is now mainly popular only in this country.

Breed standard: small body size with a small head and prominent forehead. The beak is short, the posture is proud, the wings are located below the tail, which is why the pigeon is called floppy-winged. The legs are of medium length, with beautiful plumage. Color black, motley, blue, isabella. The video shows Berlin short-billed pigeons at an exhibition in Kazan.

The Berlin long-billed pigeon, the tumbler, is also a fighting pigeon. The breed was developed in Berlin in the 19th century. This is a rather rare breed of pigeon with a somewhat unusual appearance.

Representatives of this breed are distinguished by the following standards: straight body posture, horizontal beak, vertical, elongated neck, small and narrow head, thin and long beak, long, feathered legs. The color can be blue, yellow, black, motley.

The Eastern or Oriental Roller was brought to Europe from the East. The breed was officially established in Germany at the end of the 19th century. The roller is famous for its ability to perform a wide variety of tricks and somersaults in the air.

Breed standard: medium body size, high vertical posture, concave back, high tail, wings below the tail, unfeathered legs. The color is most often monochromatic - blue, yellow, red, patterned, motley. The video shows skaters performing acrobatic moves in the air.

Decorative pigeons

Decorative breeds of pigeons are those that have various decorations on the exterior, or unusual shape bodies, specific posture, beautiful and unusual coloring, non-standard shape and structure of feathers, non-standard organs. Therefore, the exterior standards of each decorative breed can vary greatly. Due to their similarity with other birds, some decorative pigeons are called falcons, cuckoos, seagulls, and so on.

Peacock pigeon is the most common breed of decorative pigeons. They have a wide and high-set tail with fluffy, feathered ends. In color, most often these are snow-white elegant birds, which are used for various shows and for launching into the sky at weddings. In the video there is a white peacock dove with chicks.

The decorative Bohemian space-footed fairy swallow, a breed of pigeon bred in the Czech Republic, looks quite unusual. The Bohemian fairy swallow differs from other relatives in its unusual coloring - beautiful white plumage, sometimes with lush feathers on the back of the head, and striped, white-brown plumage on the legs and wings. Let's look at the photo.

Curly pigeons are an ornamental breed with curling feathers. Curly pigeons would be similar to their ordinary counterparts, if not for such a feature as curly feathers on the wings. The color of representatives of this decorative subspecies can be the same as that of ordinary field pigeons - blue, gray, brown, motley, two-color, plain, spotted. The legs are feathered, the feathers on them are also slightly wavy. Watch the video below.

Meat breeds of pigeons

In addition to their sporting abilities and remarkable decorative properties, pigeons have another attractive quality for humans - tasty, dietary and gourmet meat, especially useful for people with disabilities. overweight and health problems. It is no secret that it was the meat of pigeons that more than once helped people survive during difficult wars and lean years, in conditions of food shortages.

Pigeon meat contains a lot of calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper, selenium, zinc, as well as vitamins A, PP and B vitamins.

There is very little fat in it, but a lot of protein and amino acids. Pigeon meat has a sweetish taste and goes well with vegetables, fruits, berries and mushrooms.

Man has long noticed the remarkable features of pigeon meat and began to breed them for these purposes. Meat pigeon farming originated in ancient world, pigeons cooked on a spit were served to the table of the Roman emperor and aristocrats of antiquity.

Nowadays in Russia, pigeon meat can mainly be found on the menu of cafes and restaurants; it is also sold in markets, so anyone can feel like an aristocrat.

There are about 70 breeds of meat pigeons in the world, divided into three main groups: chicken, giant and meat.

Chickens are similar to typical domestic chickens, they are characterized by such standards as a wide, short and massive body, long paws, long neck, short tail. Pigeons of this group are fertile and heavy.

The Florentine meat pigeon belongs to the chicken group - a breed bred in the Italian city of the same name. They are also grown in Russia. Breed standards are distinguished by a wide, roundish body, long neck, long legs, short tail, and white or bluish plumage. The live weight of the bird ranges from 600-900 grams.

Gigantic pigeons hardly fly, but they are distinguished by their massive size and dense build. This group includes the Roman meat pigeon breed, bred in Italy. Breed standards: these are real giants with a large, fleshy, elongated body, thick plumage, a large head, a high forehead, and a long, powerful beak. The neck of the Roman giant is thick and short, the chest is convex and wide, the back is oval and wide. The legs are strong, short, without feathers, with bright scarlet toes. The tail is long, rounded at the end. The live weight of an adult bird reaches 600-700 grams.

Since ancient times, pigeons have been bred and revered in Rus'. The first written mention of domestic pigeons was recorded in the Tale of Bygone Years. For a long time, the rutting of pigeons or “pigeon hunting” was one of the favorite pastimes of the Russian nobility.

The first “official” pigeon breeder in Russia, who made a serious contribution to the selection of pigeons, was Count Alexei Orlov. For his dovecotes, birds were brought from different corners Russia, Turkey, Greece, England, Germany. Thanks to his efforts, the breed qualities of modern Boroduns and Oryol Tumblers were laid down.

Many of the Russian pigeon breeds were formed by the beginning of the 20th century.

By the middle of the 19th century, pigeon breeding ceased to be the prerogative of the nobility and acquired national importance. A pigeon mail service is organized, the first pigeon nursery is opened at Moscow University, books and magazines dedicated to pigeon hunting begin to be published, and exhibitions are organized.

By the beginning of the twentieth century, many Russian breeds of pigeons were formed.

After the revolution, pigeon farming began to decline. In the 1930s, the number of pigeons declined sharply. Pigeon owners were accused of espionage, transmitting secret data by pigeon mail. The birds were destroyed. The owners were sent to camps. The number of birds decreased even more during the Great Patriotic War. Large number the original Russian breeds have disappeared forever.

In the post-war years, amateur and professional breeders began to revive their favorite breeds. Today there are more than two hundred registered domestic breeds in the country, many of which are recognized by international pigeon breeding communities.

Important. The most popular domestic breeds: stately pigeons, Russian tumblers, Astrakhan, Volga, Voronezh, Tula, Chelyabinsk, Baku pigeons, Chinese gulls, high-flying pigeons, rooks, hryvnias, Tula beetles, swans, chiliks.

Grivuns (Permyaks) are one of the old Russian breeds. An article published in 1888 in the journal Nature and Hunting stated that the breed formed and spread to early XIX century. Its author called the “parents” of the hryvnias - the blue Dubovsky, Kamyshin pigeons and the white Penza tumbler.

The appearance and build of the hryvnias indicate excellent flight qualities:

body length 35-47 cm;
the head is round, medium in size, smooth;
eyes are clear, dark;
the plumage is dense.

Nowadays, several varieties of hryvnias are bred, differing in color and flight characteristics:

Permians are white birds with a blue, black or red mane. Excellent flyers with developed spatial orientation. They are able to stay in the air for up to 10 hours, especially strong individuals - up to 12. They fly even in a rarefied atmosphere at high altitudes.
Southern grivuns (Kirov, Nikolaev) are smaller birds, with the neck and back of yellow, black (chubariki) or red. They differ in their flight style: in 2-4 hours the pigeon descends several times, and then again gains its original height.

The origin of black-and-piebald (black-roan, Kaluga) tumblers is from the Oryol Boroduns and Oryol white pigeons, gray tumblers.

The standard was officially approved in 1912:

average bird size, 34-36 cm;
long, sweeping wings, the ends descending below the tail;
the body is wide, elongated;
rounded or faceted head with a convex high forehead, small;
the eyes are large, expressive, dark, protruding;
white beak, slightly curved downwards, short, strong;
color black with a green tint and a magpie pattern;
belly, thighs, cheeks, chin, wings to the bleed - white;
the black tail has 12 tail feathers;
the unfeathered legs are short;
the standard allows for both the presence and absence of a forelock;
the initial excellent flight qualities of the Oryol birds were lost during selection, the flight duration is short, the bird turns around with difficulty;
characterized by flight in a wide, high circle with a series of somersaults (cats).

A known subspecies is the black-and-piebald pearl with a black background, distinguished by black cheeks, chin, chest, and thigh.

Important. Black and piebald tumblers in lately bred as ornamental birds.

They got their name from the Volga city of Dubovka in which they were bred. There is another local name - Kondratieff.

The main characteristic feature of Dubovsky pigeons is a drawn-out, muffled uterine coo.

They belong to high-flying pigeons. They fly in a small circle at high altitude. Dubovtsy can stay in the air for up to 8 hours and have developed spatial orientation.

The descriptions of Dubov pigeons indicate the following mandatory parameters:

a medium-sized winged bird with a slightly raised tail;
the landing is low, bare unfeathered legs are short, red (crimson);
a forelockless head of an oblong shape with a small low forehead, a tubercle-shaped nape and a flat crown;
slightly curved neck of medium size;
the body is slightly elongated, with a wide and well-developed chest;
long, up to 24 mm, straight white beak;
the color of the body, tail, head, neck is magpie, gray-white, pure white, gray-blue (gray), red;
wings with colored epaulette feathers on the shoulders;
tail up to 24 mm long, made of 12-14 feathers, with a dark ribbon marked at the end;
the eyes are light and silver.

Reference. They are unpretentious in content. They have a developed parental instinct.

Kamyshin pigeons or reeds come from the Volga region Kamyshin. The breed group was formed by the end of the 19th century based on rock pigeons. Reeds were bred for their favorite pleasure - “rutting” and belong to the group of stately pigeons.

The flight qualities of pigeons are excellent. They are devoted to their home, always find their way to the nest, and are well oriented. They fly alone or in a flock in a high circle.

Reeds:

winged, proportional birds, with a body length of 35-38 cm;
the main color is pure black, there are local subspecies with yellow, blue, fawn, coffee, red plumage, the standard allows a metallic tint on the neck and chest, corresponding in shade to the main color, the wings of any main color are pure white;
the plumage fits tightly to the body;
narrow head, oval, slightly elongated, smooth, with a gentle slope:
large eyes are pinkish-gray or yellowish, large, with narrow grayish eyelids;
beak is medium-sized, tightly closed, pink;
legs are bare, short, crimson, claws are white;
the wings are strong and long;
there are no shields or belts;
the tail is flat, raised, without a white ribbon at the end.

Work on breeding the breed has been carried out in Armavir since the end of the 17th century. The source material was North Caucasian long-billed kosmachi. Armavir white-headed kosmachi are included in the International catalogs of pigeon breeds. The breed is considered one of the most beautiful, elite and quite expensive.

A characteristic feature of birds is the rich, abundant plumage on their legs (braids). There are forelock and toothless subspecies.

Breed characteristics include:

high feathered legs with long spurs;
stately, proud posture;
long white beak;
intense color - yellow, black with a red tint (burnt), red, black, gray with a faint yellowish or reddish tint (passerine) in combination with white plumage on the head and wings;
along the edge of the feathers with a wide fan there is a darker border - scales;
long wings converging towards the back.

They fly for up to an hour and a half at an altitude of 50-100 m. The flight style is smooth, with a slight influx, entering a vertical 10-meter column with a loud, dry fight, with 3-5 flips, with 2-9 flips during descent .

Important. Armavir white-headed (bald) are part of the group of fighting pigeons.

The breed was bred by Volga breeders on the basis of Kazan shakers, Rzhev pigeons and North Caucasian colored kachus. Pigeons are bred as an ornamental breed, although some individuals show good flight qualities.

Among the racial characteristics of the Volga red-breasted:

small, short body, similar in structure to cabuns;
a highly raised wide tail of 16-18 feathers with a transverse white stripe;
spectacular cherry-white color;
the head, main part of the body, tail are deep cherry, shiny, on the chest and neck there are feathers with a purple tint;
cheeks, throat in the upper part, under the forehead, belly, legs, wings and feet of uniform white color;
short legs with bell-shaped plumage;
round smooth head;
the eyes are pinkish, with dark spots and pupils;
thick small pale pink beak;
a neck with a beautiful, proud curve, a dove shakes it, justifying its belonging to the group of shakers;
massive pink beak;
scutes matching the color of the main one.

The standard allows yellow color with a white stripe on the tail and pure black without white tail decoration.

Volga ribbon pigeons come from central Russia. The breed was formed by lop-winged pigeons from Syzran and Rzhev. Decorative qualities and color were introduced by the Volga red-breasted.

With proper maintenance and regular training, pigeons show good flying qualities. Capable of flying slowly in a wide and high circle for up to 3 hours.

They are distinguished by tenderness and loyalty towards their chosen partner, they often show tenderness towards each other, they are good caring parents.

Their standard is similar to the standard of the Volga red-breasted:

cherry white or lemon white plumage color;
the wide, raised, flat tail is decorated with a white stripe up to one and a half centimeters wide;
the head is round with a flat crown and a wide forehead;
dark colored eyes;
the light pink beak is wide at the base, short, pointed towards the end;
a proudly arched thick neck of medium length;
the body is short, with a wide chest and back;
the wings are long, lowered below the tail unit;
short legs are feathered;
their posture is stately, stately, they are distinguished by a sedate disposition.

Voronezh white-throated (Voronezh white-throated-white-belted, bearded) is one of the oldest domestic breeds, known since the time of Catherine II. They belong to the breed group of Voronezh pure pigeons.

They stand out among other breeds due to their flight style. Without making circles, a dense group of birds confidently gains altitude, slows down their flight, and, after a short time, turns around in place, rising higher and higher. At high altitudes, the flock stretches out into a chain, sometimes the birds “roll”—sway from side to side. They fly for up to 2 hours. They go down to the dovecote in circles.

Breed characteristics include:

dry, strong format, developed muscles;
body length 32-34 cm;
convex wide chest;
dense, rich plumage of a basic light gray-blue color with shine;
light gray or white head and neck;
an elongated head shape, decorated with a beard, a flat small forelock and a colored forehead;
eyes dark, shiny;
thin long beak of dark color;
long, well-developed wings that fit tightly to the body;
legs with feathers reaching down to the toes;
straight full tail.

The birthplace of coffee tumblers is the city of Tula. In fact, this is a subspecies of Tula beetles. The exact origin of the breed has not been established. There is an opinion among pigeon breeders that Smolensk forelock rooks (Lobachs) participated in the formation of the breed.

Racial characteristics include:

a wide faceted cubic head with a wide forehead, characteristic of domestic tumblers;
large light silver moist eyes with white eyelids;
wide forelock;
red-brown color of different shades from dark coffee to fawn;
on the neck there are feathers with a green tint;
powerful thick short beak;
The leathery rim around the eyes is light cream in color, about 2 mm wide.

Important. The population of coffee tumblers is small. The bird requires careful care and is picky about living conditions and feed.

Spartacus

Spartaki is a relatively new breed. It was bred by Bashkir pigeon breeders at the beginning of the 20th century on the basis of the Old Ufa black and white breed of pigeons.

The breed standard was adopted in 1981:

body size 33-35 cm;
the constitution is strong, elegant, the format is strong;
the color is rich, two-tone, with shine;
the main tone is black, gray, red, white color of plumage only on the abdomen;
between the base of the beak and the eyes of the “earring” there are colored feathers;
the head is round, with a small low forehead, a forelock-crest on the back of the head up to 5 mm high;
the eyes are shiny, yellow-red with yellow-pink eyelids;
medium-sized straight white beak, gray upper beak (horny);
the neck is strong, thick;
the wings are well developed, strong, tightly fitting to the body, elastic, the ends reach the tail;
colored shields;
short legs feathered with “stockings”;
tail of 12 tail feathers, narrow.

They belong to the group of high-flying pigeons and have good flight characteristics.

In flight, the Spartaks “keep the line.” They always fly in a cohesive, dense flock. The flight is long, high, in a small circle.

Like all living things on Earth, modern pigeons have their own wild ancestors: rock and rock pigeons. It is now impossible to determine the exact time of the domestication of these birds, but according to some sources, their domestication began in Egypt approximately 5,000 years ago. Then they began to use pigeons as a means of communication and breed them for aesthetic purposes. Their images were preserved on the walls of many ancient temples and on coins of that time, which indicates the important role of these birds in the life of the ancient Egyptians. Today, the existing variety of breeds is very large. It is not known exactly, but it is estimated that more than 800 breeds are bred in different countries. Beautiful and intelligent, they captivate with the sophistication of their external forms (exteriors), colors, breeding qualities, and flight abilities.

The biological features of the body structure of pigeons are associated with their ability to fly. Flight organs - wings are modified limbs. Pigeons can fly at a speed of 100 km/h, which is ensured by the special structure of the skeleton and intense muscle work. It is known that during the flight of a bird there is a significant expenditure of energy. Therefore, as an evolutionary adaptation, pigeons have developed a two-stage respiratory process that intensifies metabolism. During flight, the movements of the wings create powerful currents of air that lift the body into the air. The pigeon does not have a bladder or teeth to weigh down its body. The digestive organs - stomach, liver, spleen - are small in size and weight. Pigeons are characterized by a constant body temperature of about 42 ° C, which is maintained by the insulating properties of their feathers.

Domestic pigeons are represented by four main groups:

Sports or postal

Flight or racing

Decorative

Professor S. Peterfi in the book “Breeding Pigeons” proposes dividing all known breeds into 12 groups: simple pigeons (Sizari), giants, field or colored, chicken-like, curly, trumpeter-drummers, pouters, peacocks, Jacobins, seagulls, flying, warty .

In the photo there are very beautiful pigeons:

Domestic breeds of pigeons belong mainly to flight and decorative species with their own specific characteristics and have their own classification: pure, short-billed tumblers, racing, stately, high-flying, trumpeter-drummers, fighting ones. In addition, when describing breeds, the territorial origin of birds is very often used (Ukrainian pigeons, Ural, Baltic, various foreign breeds). They all have their characteristic features. The most common breeds of racing pigeons include cross monks, Elsters, Budapest high-flyers, Budapest mirrors, Szegedin, Gdansk high-flyers. Pigeons of this group are assessed by flight qualities, conformity of external shapes, and feather colors.

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Pigeons have accompanied humans since ancient times. According to biblical stories, it was the white dove that foreshadowed the completion of the flood to Noah. It is believed that the domestication of these birds began 5 thousand years ago. And the first views were depicted on the frescoes of ancient peoples. Let's consider all the main breeds of pigeons.

Together with people, pigeons populated the whole world. Today this bird can be seen on almost every continent. At the same time, due to different climatic conditions and their way of life, they all differ both in appearance and behavior. Since ancient times, man has tried not only to domesticate this bird, but also to improve its qualities.

For example, special flying and unusual decorative ones for palaces were created. Most of the breeds were bred in the countries of Eurasia. However, there are many wild representatives living in nature.

Rock dove or Caesar

This is perhaps the most common and most numerous species on our continent. The bird got its name due to its special bluish or light gray color. They are often confused with the rock pigeon, but this breed has its own distinctive feature - a darker tail.

Today this wild species is common in Europe, Asia and northern Africa. As a rule, they live in mountainous areas, as they like to build nests on rocky cliffs. Some populations are found near steppes and forests, as well as in cities. Most often, representatives of the breed lead a sedentary lifestyle, but can also move around different zones continent.

Rocky

Another known species wild pigeons, which is very similar to Caesar, but has a light tail and a black beak. Also, these birds are much smaller than their counterparts. This breed lives in the mountains of Tibet, Altai, Tien Shan, the Himalayas and Korea. Most often it nests in pairs in a gorge or in abandoned urban buildings. As for the other qualities, they are similar to the bluish appearance.

Klintukh

These wild birds are known for their unusual bluish plumage color. At the same time, their neck is greenish, the crop is red, the wings are gray-blue and the tail has black stripes. This breed is common in Turkey, China, northern Kazakhstan, Africa, Iraq and even southern Siberia. In cold regions, birds fly to warm countries for the winter; in the south they lead a sedentary lifestyle. Lives in forests and parks, where there are many large hollow trees. This bird may be familiar to us by its unusual sound when cooing “hoo-hoo”, “hoo-hoo”.

Wood Pigeon

The Wood Pigeon is the largest breed of wild pigeon. Only the length of its tail itself exceeds 15 centimeters. As for the color of the plumage, like in previous species, it is grayish-gray, smoothly turning into brown on the back. A bright greenish tint can be seen on the neck. Today they are common in many countries in both Europe and Asia. They live in forests and city parks. Adapts perfectly to different climatic conditions.

crowned pigeon

This bird is unfamiliar to us, as it lives in warm countries, for example, in New Guinea, on the tropical islands. Inhabited by pigeons rain forests, mango thickets and swampy jungle. Judging by the name, you probably already guessed that the main feature of this breed is the crest on the head. By the way, it rises and falls, like a parrot’s, depending on the bird’s mood. These pigeons are no larger in size than a canary and have long legs.

Meat pigeons

The first selections of pigeons had precisely meat direction. Today, also in many countries, these birds are eaten, so special breeds with improved gastronomic qualities are bred. In Europe, especially in Eastern Europe, pigeon meat was rarely eaten, which cannot be said, for example, about the USA and Western Europe. It was here that various meat types these birds.

King

The King is the favorite breed in the United States. It was first bred back in the 19th century as a result of crossing Roman and some postal types. Kings have a wide, fleshy body, well-developed muscles and strong bones. The color of the feathers can be either solid, for example, white, black or brown, or spotted and even brindle. By the way, due to their narrow direction and very large round body, these pigeons have almost completely lost the ability to fly.

English modena

Another famous breed of meat pigeons, bred in England. The ancestors of these birds are the ancient Italian Modenas. In appearance, they are also very wide, muscular, massive birds that have an almost vertical tail. They have a large body weight, about a kilogram (700-950 grams), so they fly poorly. There are two types of plumage color: plain and magpie (dark body and light wings).

Flight or racing pigeons

In addition to their meat qualities, people appreciated other advantages of these birds. For example, it was noticed that pigeons have a special ability to return to their usual places of residence - they began to be used as messenger birds. Then the man became interested in the beauty of birds and their special ability to fly. This is how special flying breeds appeared. They all have a special flight style. This group includes many types of pigeons, including decorative ones. Depending on the style and ability to fly, there are:

high-flying breeds - pigeons fly high into the sky, making several circles. Flying high into the sky, birds can stay there from 2 to more than 10 hours.
racing ones - they rise into the sky, making an unusual circular flight. Their peculiarity is the ability to make turns through the wing, as if tumbling.
fighting - such pigeons do not rise very high into the sky, but when flying they somersault over their tail. They can do both horizontal and vertical “pillar” somersaults. At the same time, during a somersault, they hit their wings hard, creating special clicks.
Rollers are birds that perform a helical flight by somersaulting through the wing. It seems that the dove is spinning around its axis.

Nikolaevskaya breed

Of all the high-flying breeds of pigeons, this is the most popular and was first introduced in the city of Nikolaev in Ukraine. These birds stand out among many in that they do not make circular movements during flight, but rise up in a straight vertical line. At high altitudes, they linger in the air and flutter their wings. Pigeons of this species have very long wings, rather short legs, a small neck, but quite muscular. They are found in black, gray, white, red and yellow colors, as in the photo.

Berlin short-billed tumbler

These are the most numerous tumblers from the fighting group. The breed was developed back in the 19th century in Berlin. Birds of this breed have small body, small head, convex forehead and very short beak. Distinctive feature– winged, that is, the wings hang below the tail. They have a fighting character and are highly active. There are both variegated and solid colors.

German monk

Another very beautiful breed of flying pigeons, which belong to the tumbler type. It was developed in the 17th century in Germany. The distinctive feature is that although the birds fly only briefly and low, they lure other birds into their flight. Previously, they were therefore used to steal other pigeons. They have a small size, a convex forehead, a small beak and a beautiful “hood” of feathers on the back of the head. However, today you can also find smooth-headed representatives of the breed.

Berlin long-billed

Today this is a very rare breed of pigeons, which are found only in certain cities in Germany and are distinguished by their beautiful exterior. For example, they hold their head, beak and body in a horizontal position, and the neck itself vertically. See photo for more details. These birds have a narrow head and a long, thin beak, which is how the breed got its name. Today these birds are considered to be slaughtered.

Sports or carrier pigeons

Probably everyone knows that pigeons used to transport and deliver mail. For example, birds were used for this purpose in Ancient Rome and Greece. Then, in the Middle Ages, carrier pigeons were kept by kings and nobles. At that time, this was the fastest and most accurate delivery of letters. Birds were used right up to the 20th century, and even during the Second World War, birds served people with their amazing ability.

But even today in peacetime technology, high communication and communications, pigeons are not left without work. True, now they are simply called sports and compete in flight speed. The world center of this sport is Belgium. It is important to note that the ability to quickly cover long distances and navigate in pigeons is innate and is inherited. This is why other bird breeds do not have this gift.

Belgian postal

Today this breed is considered the best of all postal dogs. Outwardly, they look like a wild rock pigeon, but this does not matter, since the main thing in these birds is speed and the ability to navigate in space. The "Belgians" have wide, massive chests, not very long tail, round head. The most common color is blue with light wings. An important feature is the smooth, silky plumage. These are record-breaking birds. For example, several years ago a pigeon of this breed was sold for the highest price - 328 thousand dollars.

English quarry

Another well-known and beloved breed of homing pigeons, which was bred on the basis of Asian quarries. They differ from other sporting birds by the presence of folds of skin near the beak and eyes. This makes them similar to decorative ones. The English bird has a large body, a wide but not convex chest and an upright stance. They also have a long, straight neck and long legs. The color can be monochromatic or variegated.

Decorative pigeons

These birds differ from all other species in certain external decorations, for example, crests, the length and shape of feathers, the presence of growths, etc. Also, a special effect can be achieved by posture or body shape, unusual coloring of feathers. For example, there are certain types of pigeons that have the colors of other birds. Accordingly, they are called larks, gulls, storks, swallows and even bullfinches. These breeds are bred solely for beauty.

Peacock

This is perhaps the most beautiful breed of decorative pigeons. The main feature is a wide tail with lush feathers. Creates a peacock-like effect. These birds come in a variety of colors, but the most popular are white. They are used at weddings, circus shows and exhibitions.

Barb

An unusual breed that belongs to the group of warty pigeons and is distinguished by special skin growths around the eyes. They also have a convex forehead and a short beak. Barbs only come in solid colors, such as yellow, black, white or red.

Brno blower

These pigeons have a very slender body and an unusual straight body position high above the ground. One gets the impression that the bird, after a goiter, is, as it were, tied with a belt. But the crop itself is greatly enlarged and inflated, which is why the breed got its name. Also, this species has long legs and birds step only on the toes, and not on the entire foot. They walk on tiptoes.

Bohemian space-footed fairy swallow

These Czech purebred pigeons always attract attention with their unusual and even magical checkerboard pattern on their wings and legs. See photos. They have a large body with strong feathering on their feet. They belong to the group of colored pigeons.

Saxon priest

Another very beautiful unusual bird with rich feather decoration. For example, they have long feathers on the paws and two tufts on the head. Moreover, regardless of color, the forehead of these pigeons is always white. The plumage resembles a monk's hood, which is why the breed received its name.

Curly

Many connoisseurs of bird beauty dream of owning these pigeons. They have very beautiful rare curly plumage. In this case, the color can be spotty or monochromatic. This breed has feathers on its wings and legs.

There are still many unusual and very beautiful varieties of pigeons in the world. Read about them on our website, and also watch the video.

Video "Pigeon Breeds"

Now there are several dozen registered breeds of pigeons. Some birds coped well with postal shipments, others went for tasty and tender meat, and still others, their great game, attracted the attention of millions of pigeon fans. Of course, there are breeds of pigeons that are not included in the general register, as they were bred by accident or by amateur pigeon breeders.

Interesting! Among racing (flying) breeds, two more groups are distinguished - decorative and fighting pigeons. They were created solely to please the human eye, without much practical meaning.

Characteristics of pigeons should start with meat breeds, since these birds are found on almost every poultry farm and every pigeon breeder. The fact is that such breeds have tasty and expensive meat, which often becomes the reason for their divorce.

Breeds of domestic pigeons used for meat have a fairly massive body. Their weight significantly exceeds that of any other group. Animals fly little, have average game and posture. But they are grown not because of their beautiful flights, but precisely because of their very muscular and fleshy body.

Strasser

The Strasser is considered one of the most popular breeds of meat pigeons.
The animals have marbled plumage, a black beak and white nostrils. The eyes are large and bright orange.

Strassers have a very gentle temperament and get along well with other breeds of pigeons. These meat birds are popular in Ukraine, both among pigeon breeders and in poultry breeding factories. “Kings” are also very popular.

King pigeons

The birds were bred in 1890. Their physique is much more modest than that of the Strassers, but they have stronger immunity. They grow and reproduce quickly. The bird got its name thanks to its snow-white royal color, which is so valued by English pigeon breeders.

The birds have a lush chest, a short neck and a purple beak. The animal's eyes are dark brown, its legs are short and pink. Despite the fairly high meat indicators, many pigeon breeders raise king pigeons for decorative purposes, all thanks to their uniform and snow-white color.

These are precisely the animals that were able to incorporate first-class meat qualities and a decorative exterior, forcing pigeon breeders to breed these birds. They have completely white, light brown or brown and white colors that are not found in any other breed.

The birds have perfectly adapted to living next to people, and therefore feel great both in the wild and in an aviary. They don't particularly like to fly, but a sedentary lifestyle will cause Texans to become overgrown with fat, which should not be allowed.

The birds have a broad chest and a medium-sized neck. The legs are pink, sometimes red, underdeveloped. Texans have average flight performance and low endurance, but all these disadvantages are covered by the weight of the bird.

Interesting! Texans are real giants; with proper nutrition and maintenance, birds can reach 900-1000 grams of weight, which for most flying and mail birds is an unattainable mark even in theory.

These pigeons are second in weight only to the Roman giants.

Roman giants

The birds were bred in warm Italy, and therefore breeding the breed in Russia is a big question, since the bird may not tolerate low temperatures. The adult reaches 55 cm in length, from beak to tail feathers. In flight, the wingspan is 100 cm.

The bird is difficult to find among domestic pigeon breeders, and therefore such dimensions seem more like fiction than reality. The weight of a male Roman giant can reach 1.5 kg, a female – 1.2 kg.

Pigeons are marbled or gray-white in color. The eyes are large and orange, the chest is small, but the body is large and long. The beak is medium in size, well developed, the legs are long, muscular, the wings are slightly raised up, and the tail looks like an extension of the back.

Paws pink color, fingers wide apart, half-bent, nails white or black. This is a real alabai in the world of pigeons.
It is worth noting that these are the largest representatives of meat pigeon breeds, but there are much more of them; among meat birds one can also note Carnot, Monden, Prahnensky Kanik, etc.

Homing or racing pigeons

Even 200 years ago, it was impossible to imagine human life without these birds; if you need to quickly convey a message to another city or even country, then there is no better option than pigeons. On at the moment There are several dozen postal birds, and the most common and popular ones should be discussed in more detail.

Pouters

This breed of pigeons is small in size, which is what makes the pouters so fast and resilient. The bird has a narrow but long body, showing first-class aerodynamic properties. The legs are long, the body is set at an angle of 45 degrees to the ground.

There are both completely white birds and marbled or white marbled colors. The legs can be “naked” or covered with thick feathers. Pouters can fly up to 1200 km without stopping. The only disadvantage of the breed is that these “postmen” cannot fly at temperatures below 6 degrees and above 20.

Interesting fact! Despite the fact that the breed was bred and registered as a sporting breed, many pigeon breeders classify pouters as decorative birds for their extravagant appearance.

Warty pigeons

When talking about these birds, it is difficult to focus on any specific color, since there are no standards for the color of feathers of warty homing pigeons. As you might have guessed, the name of the breed characterizes the animals themselves.

In the area of the eyes and beak, birds have peculiar growths similar to warts. Birds have long well-developed wings, a straight tail, and a long neck. This physique allows you to develop high speeds during flight.

Warty pigeons have red or pink feet with long toes and curled claws on them. They fly exclusively to hot weather, do not tolerate frost. Gull pigeons can be considered their competitors in terms of endurance.

Seagull pigeons

These animals have little larger sizes than other postal ones. As one might guess, pigeons in their plumage and color are very similar to seagulls, although the latter are smoother-haired. They are able to travel up to 1000-1200 km, without stopping or stopping for food and drink.

The head is decorated with a small forelock, which is typical for the breed of fighting pigeons. Most likely, these birds were the progenitors of the gull breed. Their legs are short and with well-developed toes, their body is wide, and their neck is of medium size.

Between carrier pigeons and meat pigeons, there is another group - flying or racing pigeons. There are more representatives of this group, but attention should be paid only to fighting and decorative breeds.

Fighting and decorative pigeons

All breeds of ornamental birds are conditioned weak game, pole and fight, but their advantage is their exterior and color. It is with their appearance that they have earned a large number of admirers.

Jacobins

These pigeons cannot be confused with any other breed. The whole point is in the lush “hood” covering the birds’ head.

The birds have medium-sized legs, underdeveloped wings and a long body, which is crowned with a short neck. The Jacobin is characterized by a white-brown color with a white tail. Pigeons are very demanding in terms of living conditions and food.

This breed of pigeon is as highly regarded among experienced pigeon breeders as the Mountain Dog is among dog lovers. The birds have white colored feathers and have almost the same body type as peacocks. Some pigeon fanciers call birds of this breed mini-peacocks.

It’s worth saying right away that the animals are incredibly demanding in terms of their maintenance, and therefore the owners of pigeon coops raise no more than 5-10 individuals of this breed. The body of a peacock is located almost parallel to the ground, the chest is wide, and a long neck adorns the body of the bird at a right angle.

Fighting breed

Iranian pigeons are a bright representative of fighting breeds. During the flight, the bird makes strong popping noises, and to prevent loss of altitude, it constantly somersaults in the air.

The bird can be completely white, or white-brown interspersed with black in the tail feathers. The legs are short red, the eyes are yellow, the beak is white, gray or black and white. Like all flights, Iranians have a well-developed tail, but weak wings, and therefore cannot stay in the air for long.

Persian pigeons

If the "Iranians" were different good fight, but poor endurance, then Persian pigeons can be considered their complete opposite. "Persians" have average fight and a pillar, but are able to spend up to 12 hours in the air.

They can be black, brown or red in color. The medium-long legs are decorated with large feathers, the length of which reaches 10 cm. There are Persian pigeons with and without a tuft, the beak is always white, the eyes are dark brown

Of course, describing all the breeds of pigeons from A to Z will take more than one day, but we still managed to consider the most prominent representatives. There are many smaller ones in the world, but they all fall into 3 main categories:

Meat. They have a “simple” exterior, have poor fighting, play and posture. The main advantage is muscle weight.
Birds develop incredible speed due to their small body size, have the same color and weak exterior.
Decorative and fighting birds. The golden mean between “sport” and “meat”. These groups are famous for describing rocks where there is no place for dull and faded colors. The birds also have a unique exterior, excellent fighting, but poor endurance and speed.

Unfortunately, now, no matter how much they are divided into groups, due to their poor productivity, they are increasingly grown for decorative purposes, since the time of homing pigeons is long gone, and meat birds are lured by larger and easier-to-keep chickens, geese and turkeys.