Baku war pigeons: varieties, photos and videos

Baku pigeons are a fighting breed bred in Azerbaijan at the beginning of the 18th century. The breeding center of the first representatives was the city of Baku.

Many are initially misled by the word “martial” in the name of this variety. It implies that when birds take off, they emit characteristic flapping wings, reminiscent of clicks – they are called “fight”. This is one of the main characteristics of Baku pigeons, along with summer and flight duration. The appearance of birds and color in Azerbaijan did not have much importance, although in the end the new species still broke up into many subspecies with different colors and plumage types.

History of Baku pigeons

The first mention of Baku pigeons dates back to the 18th century, when records were made in Iranian sources – then the territory of modern Azerbaijan was under the control of Persia. In the middle of the 20th century Baku residents were brought to Our Country.

Of course, since then the Baku breed has undergone some changes in the course of selection work. In some subspecies, the forelocks became more noticeable, the feather “boots” from the legs disappeared, and the physique became lighter. In addition, in our time, the breed is represented by a wide variety of colors, although initially the Baku people had several color options.

Years of Baku pigeons

Despite the variety of colors and types of plumage, the Baku people have a number of common features that strongly distinguish them from other breeds, including fighting ones. First of all, this is the high-flying of birds, the duration of the flight and the unique fighting style.

Bakuvians fly high, sometimes hiding even from sight, and are able to stay in the air for a long time. Moreover, Baku pigeons are considered champions in terms of flight duration – if the birds are trained correctly, their years will be 5-12 hours, and all this time it will be accompanied by a good game. The quality of the game is assessed by how the dove goes into the post – the bird does at least 3 somersaults with claps.

There are three types of fighting among Baku pigeons.

1. Output to the post. A type of game in which the dove rises into the air almost vertically, after which it abruptly somersaults with its head thrown back. This somersault is accompanied by a loud flapping of wings. The exit height is 12-15 meters, as the pigeon rises, it makes an average of 5-6 somersaults, actively flapping its wings. For trained Baku residents, this figure is even higher.
2. Pillar with screw. This type of fight is characterized by a shuttle move, but the roll is also accompanied by a click.
3. Зauspicious battle. The game is characterized by a slow pace of flight and a relaxed combat pattern. The dove now and then seems to hang in the air, turning over from time to time, after which it rises higher. Rolls are relatively slow, but even with this style they are accompanied by a clap.

The years of the Baku people are shown in the video, where the pigeons demonstrate elements of the battle:

Breed signs and standards

The standard for fighting pigeons of the Baku breed provides for compliance with the following characteristics:

• the physique is strong;
• dove of medium size;
• the plumage is dense, thick, there may be a forelock or “eyebrows” on the head;
• on the chest and neck – a purple tint, noticeable on all types of color;
• the head is elongated, with smooth plumage or forelock;
• the forehead is rounded;
• crown flattened, rectangular;
• the beak is straight and thin, slightly curved down at the end;
• beak color white
• the cere is poorly developed, smooth to the touch and white;
• the neck is not long, but not short either, slightly curved;
• broad shoulders;
• the back is long, descending towards the tail;
• the silhouette of the Baku people is elongated;
• the wings are long, lying at the ends on the tail;
• the plumage of the wings is tightly pressed against the body of the Baku people;
• tail of a closed type, consisting of 14-16 tail feathers;
• legs are bare or dressed in “boots” of feathers;
• the color of the legs of various shades of red;
• claws light, almost white.

Pillar Bakutsy have some drawbacks – the absence of a bend in the neck or the roundness of the crown, but a number of characteristics in a pigeon are unacceptable:

• heterochromia (different eye color);
• plumage on the fingers;
• shortened body;
• overly protruding chest;
• saggy wings;
• the tail sags, touching the ground;
• the beak is too short and thick;
• a hump on the back;
• the neck is too thick;
• the plumage is loose.

What are Baku pigeons by suit

Baku pigeons are distinguished by a wide variety of colors. There are birds with a monochromatic color (black, white, yellowish-brown), motley (marble), two-color (white with a black or red tail, white with a “neck”), gray, bronze with splashes, etc. Among this variety, there are pigeons with smooth plumage, Bakutsy with forelocks and a variety with pronounced “eyebrows”, which is sometimes also called gloomy.

Subspecies of the Baku breed of fighting pigeons are shown in the photo.

White Baku war pigeons

Baku pigeons of exceptionally white color are highly valued at exhibitions. They usually do not have a forelock, their heads are smooth. Feathering on the legs is also absent in most cases, but there are specimens in “boots”. The skin on the legs of white Bakuns is red, but the claws of pigeons are lighter.

The physique of white Baku pigeons is graceful, slightly elongated.

Baku pigeons with a “neck”

Baku pigeons with a “neck” are also called hryvnias. They got this name for the peculiarity of plumage – their body is mostly light, painted in white, beige or milky, there is a spot on the back of the neck, which partially extends to the sides. The color of the spot is black, brown, reddish or yellow. Sometimes the tail feathers are painted in the same color.

Regardless of the color, the “neck” of the Baku people has a bluish tint, due to which the plumage of the pigeons shimmers even in low light.

The flight abilities of birds with a “neck” are no different from most other varieties, they are distinguished into a separate group solely in appearance.

Baku Marble Pigeons

Marble Baku pigeons are usually light in color, but interspersed with dark tones. The main color is white, light gray or milky, sometimes darker shades are found. Inclusions on the body and head are black, dark gray or brown.

A feature of this subspecies is that the color of the plumage changes as the bird grows older. With each molt, the color of the feathers becomes more saturated. Marble Baku residents do not have a forelock, while its presence is not a disqualifying sign.

Baku mirror pigeons

Mirror Baku pigeons can be of almost any color, but there are no monochromatic ones among them. The name of this variety of Baku people was based on the pattern on the wings and tail of birds – mirror-symmetrical. According to the type of plumage, mirror Baku pigeons are smooth, without forelocks and “eyebrows”.

Red and white pigeons from Baku

This is not a separate breed, but a color variant. This color variant is found in black-tailed Baku pigeons, the plumage of which is represented by a white base and a black tail. Sometimes red-tailed Baku people are also found in this species, otherwise the pigeons are no different from their relatives in appearance.

Yellow doves Bakuvians

Yellow plumage in its pure form is found only in Baku bronze pigeons, while the feathers cast reddish hues in the sun. Sometimes black blotches are scattered over the body of Baku residents.

There are also Baku people with yellow spots among hryvnias or pigeons with “necks”.

Black pigeons from Baku

Black Baku pigeons, as well as red and white ones, are not distinguished as a separate breed. This color is found in many varieties, but more often black plumage is present in chili pigeons. But it is difficult to call it monophonic – there are gray spots on the neck and chest of black Bakuvians, casting a greenish tint in the sun.

Pigeons Bakutsy chili

Chili or colored Baku pigeons are a motley fighting breed. The subspecies is distinguished by dense and dense plumage, including on the legs. The chest is wider than that of other Bakuvians, the body is elongated. The eyes are light, but more often yellow tones. The beak is straight and does not curve downwards. There is often a pronounced forelock on the head, but “eyebrows” are practically never found.

The color scheme of the Baku chili pigeons implies a relatively uniform plumage on the body and wings and a motley head with a neck. Color combinations are very different: black color with white patches, light base and red spots, milky body and brown head, etc. There is a bluish spot on the chest and neck of the Baku chili, casting a purple tint in the sun. Secondary foci of variegation on the tail and wings, but the main mass is concentrated on the head and neck. The brushes on the paws match in color with the main color of the bird.

The behavioral difference of this breed of Baku pigeons lies in the love for long solitary flights. During such flights, they often go to the “column”. In addition, chili people often do unexpected somersaults.

Other varieties of Baku pigeons

In addition to these, there are many small varieties of the fighting type of pigeons. Among them, broad-tailed or multi-feathered Baku pigeons, high-flying and fighting Agbash breed are of interest.

Broad-tailed Bakuvians are a subspecies of pigeons that are among the most enduring. They are able to spend 10-15 hours in the air, and this is not the limit. The muscles of the birds are well developed, they have a fairly powerful physique, but at the same time they remain an outwardly attractive breed. The color of broad-tailed Baku people is very diverse. Typical tones are white, ash and milky without inclusions.

The wide-tailed Baku pigeons got their name for the structural features of the tail. When extended, it resembles the tails of peacock pigeons.

High-flying individuals do not stand out much against the background of other Baku breeds. The only difference is the high flight. The color of high-flying pigeons can be very different.

The Agbash breed differs from other varieties in adaptive abilities. The color of the Bakunian agbash is monophonic, more often white, but there is also a color scheme according to which the body of the birds is dark, and the head is light. Distributed among representatives of the breed specimens with lush forelocks.

The legs of the Bakunians of the Agbash breed are bare, occasionally with feathers.

Breeding of Baku pigeons

Baku pigeons are an extremely unpretentious breed that adapts to different conditions of detention. Doves sit well on the masonry and feed the chicks without any problems. For this reason, poultry farmers use them as breadwinners. Baku residents rarely fly away – they are monogamous and strongly attached to the house.

The advantages of the breed also include quick learning. Birds learn the basics of training in the shortest possible time, if they are carried out correctly and do not miss classes. It is important to remember that each individual is individual. Baku residents study various elements of the fight at different times, you should not expect the same results from all birds.

A feature of the breed is that females are able to lay eggs throughout the year. If this is undesirable for the poultry farmer, objects that females use to build a nest are removed from the aviary.

Feeding Baku pigeons

It is widely believed that Baku pigeons should be slightly underfed and kept on a strict diet. It is believed that in this way the birds become more docile and obey the owner better, but this statement is not supported by facts. Therefore, poultry farmers prefer to feed Baku residents fully, but they agree on one thing – an excess of food harms the birds. You can’t overfeed the birds.

Baku residents are fed according to the schedule from the first days of life. This has a beneficial effect on the state of the goiter of birds – it does not stretch, but at the same time it is not empty. The chicks are fed soft foods, with an emphasis on the afternoon meal, which falls at noon.

The following products are suitable for feeding Baku pigeons:

1. Millet. This is the basis of nutrition for Baku residents. When choosing food, you should pay attention to compositions with grains of saturated color – they contain a particularly high concentration of vitamins and useful trace elements.
2. Wheat. Together with millet, this crop forms the basis of the diet of fighting pigeons in Baku, but it is low in calcium. If you focus on wheat to the detriment of millet feed, then you will have to additionally feed the birds with mineral supplements.
3. Oat. The culture is well absorbed, but there is a lot of husk in it, so some individuals refuse to eat it.
4. Barley. The grain is rich in vitamins, macro and microelements. Before feeding, it is recommended to crush the grains to facilitate its absorption.
5. Corn. It is inconvenient for Baku residents to eat large grains, therefore, fine-grained varieties are used for feeding birds or they are crushed. It is impossible to abuse corn – a large amount of such food causes obesity in Baku pigeons.
6. rice. Despite the high concentration of nutrients, rice is not the basis of the diet. The reason for this is the high price of grain.
7. Flax-seed. The food is nutritious, but has a laxative effect, so it is given sparingly.
8. Sunflower seeds. They add it to almost all compound feeds, but it is better not to give it to Baku residents in its pure form. Their share in the diet of birds should not exceed 10%.
9. Hemp. Despite the fact that Baku fighting pigeons love her, the product should not be abused. Large amounts of hemp cause digestive and weight problems in birds. It is also better not to give Bakuvians raw hemp – boil it before serving.
10. Fresh greens. Baku residents respond well to vitamin supplements with dandelions, spinach and lettuce. If you regularly add greens to the diet of birds, you can even exclude the introduction of a variety of vitamin and mineral complexes.

How to properly train Baku pigeons

In order not to harm the health of birds during training and competition, it is recommended to follow some tips designed to protect beginner poultry farmers from serious mistakes:

1. In no case should you train a dove immediately after laying. You need to wait at least 2 days after and the same amount before it.
2. Chicks should not be taken from their parents for a week after hatching.
3. Young animals begin to accustom to training at the age of one month. Sometimes birds are released for the first training much later, 2 months after birth, but only if the pigeon is slowly developing for some reason. With the start of classes, it is not recommended to delay.
4. 3-5 days before the competition heavy food is excluded from the diet of Baku residents.
5. 1 hour before the start of the competition, the birds need to be well watered so that they do not have dehydration from high loads.
6. You can not release pigeons to train in the city. Noises and buildings will become a serious hindrance, birds need open space and relatively low noise.
7. Releasing Baku residents for training, they alternate the activities of mature individuals with young ones.
8. Male Baku pigeons are trained separately from females.
9. Despite the fact that Baku residents easily find their way home, it is better not to let young pigeons out in heavy fog or rain.

Conclusion

Over the three centuries of existence, Baku pigeons have gained great popularity among poultry farmers in Our Country. They cannot be called the most beautiful breed, but this is not the dignity of birds. Among other species of Baku pigeons, they are distinguished by rare endurance and a unique flight pattern. It is difficult to confuse the fight of the Baku breed with the fight of other varieties. In addition, the advantages of this species include good adaptive abilities – the birds quickly adapt to different climatic conditions, which allows them to be bred in most of the country.

You can learn more about the features of Baku pigeons from the video: