Type of Domestic Pigeons

Pigeons are on earth from thousands of years. All the domesticated types of pigeons evolved/derived from rock dove. Pigeons can be seen all around the world except the coldest regions of earth like north and south poles. Human beings are keeping them from early ages and used them for different purposes in ancient times. In today's era, human beings breed them for sports and exhibitions. In this long period of time there are numbers of breed/strains or types of pigeons have already developed. There are few classes that are only categorized as show class pigeons and some are developed for flying abilities. Number of show exhibitions held around the world. Where pigeon fancier show their amazing pigeons and compete on the basis of looks, color, size and complete personality. On the other side flying competitions held across the world with different breeds and different rules. Fancier compete with their opponents by their trained flying teams of pigeons. Pigeons who spend more hours in air considered as winner. Another type of flying competition is called race. In this sport, pigeons need to come back home as quick as possible. Pigeon who come back home in shortest time from decided distance consider as winner.

There are three major categories of domestic pigeons.

1. Fancy / Exhibition Pigeons
2. Endurance flying pigeons
3. Distance flying pigeons

These three classes of domestic pigeon can further be divided into many breeds and strains. In case of Fancy / Exhibition pigeons there are number of made made breeds and some also evolved from particular region. However standard breeding system is available. In case of flying pigeons there are many categories that I will define further later in this article. The only think that should be clear in reader's mind that it is near to impossible to standardize flying pigeons as breed. There is a big reason for this. These birds are bred to gain maximum intelligence and flying abilities. No matter how it can be achieve, fancier only try to get best by cross breeding. This kind of extensive breeding result as no standard of breed. Some people still try to standardize them by shape, color flying pattern etc but I think its extremely difficult because there are number of factors such as weather condition effects of flying abilities plus its flying pattern. So one can never make a standard to judge an individual breed of this class of domestic breed.

Now I would try to explain above written all three categories.

Fancy / Exhibition Pigeons

These kind of pigeons only bred to develop fascinating colors and structures. There are hundred of breeds can be seen. Sometimes people even get surprised and ask if it is really a pigeon. Some example of exhibition pigeons are Fantails, pouters, Jacobin, frill back, Trumpeters, owls, stressers etc.

There are many exhibitions held around the world where people show their best bred pigeons. In which countries like Germany, England , Australia and USA is on top.

Endurance Flying Pigeons

As i mentioned earlier that this class of domestic pigeons bred to produce top flying and homing abilities. One can found many classes of such pigeons around the world. These pigeons are categorized on the basis of their flying pattern, flying altitude and shape. This is also the most controversial type of pigeon. As they are extensively cross bred to produce more flying abilities. Due to cross breeding, uniqueness of one breed can overlap on other breeds. However by region almost every region has few basic types of endurance flyers that can be categorized by their flying patterns and body types.

Such types of endurance flyers are High flyers, Low-mid flyers / English tipplers, Roller Pigeons etc

High Flying pigeons

As mentioned above, there are number of breeds across the world can be categorized as high flyers. These birds are endurance flyers and most of them have ability to fly upto 120 hours. These birds are medium to big size birds with broad chest and short height. They have broad head and neck structure. They have broad wing span with big inner primaries and outer primaries follows the same distribution of shape. Mostly their wing contains 8-10 primaries of same size or sometimes 10 little smaller than 8th and 9th primaries. They mostly have big round tail with feathers upto 16. These birds can be found in many colors.

These birds fly in very slow motion and tap the wings slowly. It seems like gliding in the wind. Most of them fly straight from the loft and never take rounds as other pigeons do. If we see their structure, it gives us clear idea that these birds are built to glide in the wind. their body structure gives them maximum lift, However they face lots of difficulties flying in heavy wind speed. 

These birds can be found in many regions of the world where Ukrainian and Iranian regions are on top. Breeds from Ukraine called as skycutters. Whereas, Iranian region's pigeons called as Iranian high flyers. Some of the Iranian high flyers also tumble while coming upward or downwards. There are also Asian regions where cross bred of these pigeons can be seen like India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq etc. 

High Flying Tumblers:

This type of pigeons are actually developed from above mentioned high flyer or you may say that some of them have this unique ability to tumble while flying. This kind of tumbling is entirely different from rollers. High flying tumblers show this move while coming down or lifting upward. This kind of tumbling skill never repeated in sequence or it down effect the altitude of pigeon. this typical ability can be mostly found in Turkish high flying tumblers and its ancestors.

Roller Pigeons:

This type of pigeon mostly bred in English region and called as English rollers, Birmingham Rollers. These pigeons are of small to medium size with short beak and small round head. With smaller wing span and they have unique ability to role in the flying time. This unique acrobatic performance is treat to watch. The whole kit start rolling one by one and all pigeons in the kit lower down in the air while rolling. Than setup and again start flying from the same point. These pigeons are actually not long hour flyers. They can only fly 3 to 5 hours with this unique ability to roll. These pigeon can also be find in number of colors.

Low-mid flyers / English tipplers

Again this type of pigeon is the most controversial type of flying pigeons. Some people has views that at the time of Great Britain rule in India. Some people took Indian High flyers and bred them in England with their distance flyers to produce this unique combination now called as English Tipplers. On the other hand English people believe that they took English tippler with them and introduce them in India. Whatever the reality is if you know correct tools to recognize the right birds you can spear best for your breeding stock. In both cases, both tipplers and low- mid flyers of subcontinent are medium size birds with small thin to medium round head. Long necks and long body structures. these birds are made to tear the air pressure while flying. They fly on low to mid altitude and sometime they go high enough that human eyes cannot see them but it happens for very short time. Disappearing in the sky is actually the sign of high flyers behind development of this particular bird.

These birds are very strong and have ability to face extreme weather conditions and can remain in the air for long time. They have recorded flying 22 hours at once. These birds have sharp wing structure almost like a racer homer pigeons. They fly in tight kits and sometime go at very long distance from their loft.

Racer / Homer Pigeons

A true Masterpiece of GOD. Type of pigeon that can recognize its home from long distance, it has extraordinary capacity to face very harsh weather, it can recognize his keeper's voice, it is fastest flying pigeon among all pigeon's breeds. These pigeon are bred across the world. However, Europe and UK is on top in keeping racing homer pigeons.

These pigeons are medium to big size birds. They have short neck, big nose, short to medium beak, very tight structure, aerobatic shape, thin and tight wings. Short to medium size primaries, very tight tail structure. In short it has everything to fly like rocket. One can imaging that these birds can easily dodge a falcon that dive upto 300Km per hour.  In short distance race speed of a top racing pigeon has recorded up to 140 km/h. whereas, in long distance race of about 640 km up to 80 km/h speed recorded of a top racing bird. 

Racer homers are the most expensive birds in the world and top racers are auctioned for selling. Zealous racers can pay thousands of dollars for a single bird.