Domestic pigeons: breeds with photos

Pigeon breeds are diverse. The main choice that a beginner pigeon breeder must make is what kind of birds to have. Pigeons are divided into wild and domestic. Wild thoroughbred pigeons are more demanding on the content. Therefore, novice breeders are recommended for breeding domestic pigeons.

What does a dove look like

Pigeon breeds number about 800 varieties. Their appearance is often very different, but there are common characteristics. Dove Description:

• small head, shortened neck;
• thin beak, slightly elongated, the color depends on the color of the feathers;
• the eyes are large, the color may be different, the vision is sharp;
• ears are covered with feathers, hearing is excellent, birds are able to perceive ultrasound and infrasound;
• the body is neat, weighing up to 650 g, some breeds reach 900 g;
• legs are short with 4 toes;
• the plumage fits snugly to the body, the downy component is well developed;
• the tail is rounded;
• wing length is on average about 25 cm;
• the male is larger than the female;
• the color is varied, from light gray, beige to bright, saturated, multi-colored like that of parrots.

The flight is swift, up to 60 km/h. Sports pigeons can reach speeds of up to 140 km / h.

Types of pigeons

To date, about 35 species of pigeons belong to the pigeon family. They have differences in shape, color and type of plumage, size.

All varieties of domestic pigeons are descended from the common rock pigeon. The characteristics of this particular pigeon are well studied and taken as a basis. Carrying out selection work, breeders sometimes get breeds that are completely different from each other. The following groups are known: sports (postal), flying, decorative, meat. Recently, meat and sports breeds have somewhat lost their former popularity.

Breeds of pigeons with photos and names can be seen below.

wild pigeons

All types of wild pigeons are different, they have features characteristic only for this species. They live in places remote from people – in forests, on the banks of rivers, inhabit rocks. Live in groups. Food is found on the ground, the rest of the time is spent in trees or in flight. In addition to the external description of the breed of pigeons, behavior, reproductive ability, and character differ. Hardy, capable of flying up to 1000 km within one day. A couple is found for life. Incubate up to 2-3 eggs together with a partner. They feed on nuts, berries, various fruits.

gray dove

Another name is sizar. The bird is common in Europe, found in Our Country. Nests are built in rocks, stone buildings. Very trusting, they can be easily tamed. They have about 28 varieties. Fast in flight. The plumage is light gray. There are dark stripes on the outside of the tail. Weight up to 350 g. Maturity occurs from six months, 1-2 eggs in a clutch. Life expectancy in nature is about 5 years, at home about 30 years.

Crowned pigeon

One of the most beautiful birds. It differs from other species in its large size (up to 70 cm), body weight up to 3 kg, small head, long beak. The main advantage of a crowned dove is an unusual tuft resembling a fan. The feathers on the crest are blue, the tassels at the end are white.

They live in forests, forest belts, closer to farms, where there is more food. Very trusting of people. During the day they are busy searching for food, raising young birds. Caring towards partner and chicks. They live in packs, couples keep a little apart. They prefer cereals, cereals, fruits, berries, seeds, sometimes they feed on insects and snails. They love fresh herbs.

Vyakhir

It has several names: vitiuten or wild pigeon. This species is larger than the rest of the pigeon family. The body length of the bird is about 40 cm, weight up to 1 kg. It is the closest relative of city pigeons. The main color of the plumage is gray or gray, the breast is red, the neck is with a slight touch of metal, the goiter is turquoise.

They live in coniferous, mixed forests of Scandinavia, the Baltic States, and Ukraine. They are found in Our Country in the Novgorod, Gorky, Leningrad regions. Depending on the habitat, it can be both a migratory and a settled bird. Vyahiri keep in packs. From food they prefer fruits, cereals, legumes, berries, rarely eat worms and caterpillars.

Clintuch

It inhabits the forests of Asia and Europe, is quite common in Our Country. Like the wood pigeon, it can lead a sedentary lifestyle or fly to warmer countries for the winter. The bird is small in size, up to 35 cm, weight is about 370 g. The plumage color is smoky, the neck has a greenish tint. The person is treated with caution. They can settle in a city park, but only if they find a suitable hollow in the trees. They eat plant foods: seeds, berries, fruits, nuts. In the spring they can eat insects.

Rock dove

At first glance, it is no different from the city pigeon, but in fact, these types of pigeons have different characteristics, as well as habits.

It is named after its main habitat. They inhabit gorges, rocks, cliffs. The rocky pigeon is smaller than the gray one, the feathers in the tail part are lighter, two stripes are visible on the wings. They eat vegetable food, occasionally supplementing the diet with slugs, insects, and snails.

It is the ancestor of such breeds as puffers, peacocks, tumblers. Thanks to this species, the main groups of pigeons appeared: meat, decorative, flying, postal.

sporting pigeons

They are representatives of the elite direction of pigeon breeding, popular in many European countries. Previously, they were called postal, as they delivered mail over long distances.

Pigeon breeders are mainly concerned with the aerodynamic properties of the bird, which is the correct proportions of body parts. A pigeon with good athletic abilities should have a smoothly streamlined body with a powerful chest and a broad back. The tail section is narrow, with abundant close-fitting plumage.

Breeding sports pigeons is a fairly popular hobby, but maintenance, care, and feeding require a lot of money and effort. To make a real athlete out of a dove, it is necessary to choose the right chick, draw up a competent feeding ration, create all the necessary conditions for keeping, daily training is important.

Before purchasing a sports pigeon, you should study information about various nurseries, view recommendations, reviews. The sites of elite catteries usually provide all the necessary information, documents and photographs. Nurseries are located in many countries, but pigeons from Holland, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Germany, and Romania are more valued. There are also many clubs in Our Country where sport pigeons are bred and competitions are organized.

Starting to breed sports pigeons, you need to take care of the cleanliness in the dovecote. For a dovecote, it is better to use natural building materials, make an aviary for walking, the room should be warm, dry and light. Cleaning should be carried out daily, monitor the cleanliness of drinkers, feeders.

For pigeons of the sports direction, proper nutrition is important. It differs significantly from the diet of ornamental birds. Pigeons should be dominated by grain mixtures, legumes: corn, peas, millet, hemp, lentils. You can add bread, boiled potatoes, rice, greens. We must not forget about vitamin supplements for sports breeds of pigeons.

Bird training begins at two months of age. First of all, you need to accustom the dove to the owner and the dovecote. To do this, you should come to them at a certain time, in the same clothes. They must learn to respond to the owner, to eat from his hands. Before you let them fly, you need to teach the pigeons to fly from the dovecote to the aviary and back.

These classes continue for about a week. After that, you can drive the pigeons to the roof and let them get to know the area. The first flight lasts about 20 minutes, after which the flight time gradually increases. Then they start training for orientation in space, starting with small distances, and then increasing them.

postal

The breed of sports pigeons is considered one of the most enduring. Often take part in various international competitions. They fly long distances. A variety of postal – white Ostankino. They have a sharp beak, an elegant head shape. The wings are powerful, located close to the body, the legs are long without plumage.

Belgian sports

In appearance, it resembles a wild pigeon. The breast is powerful, muscular torso, small rounded head. The eyes are dark. The tail is small, narrow, the wings are shortened. Plumage shades are varied. It is an expensive bird.

Flying pigeons

The main quality of the pigeons of this group is their ability to rise to the maximum height, to stay in the sky for a long time. During breeding work on breeding flying pigeons, birds with a good muscular system were selected.

Breeders of some breeds of flying pigeons believe that the ability to roll in the air takes a lot of energy from birds, and does not allow them to fly higher and soar for as long as possible. Such birds are subject to culling.

Within the flight breeds there are certain differences in the nature of the flight:

• Bell tower – a pigeon, being at a height of more than 120 m, makes circular flights or simply flies;
• skylark – the height of the rise of such birds is 350 m;
• sparrow – lifting height up to 650 m;
• butterfly – flight at an altitude of up to 840 m;
• flickering – rise to a height of up to 1500 m and disappear from the sight of observers.

Birds of these breeds must fly daily. Without training, flying birds quickly lose shape. In addition, they must fly in a flock; birds do not rise into the sky alone.

Flight breeds are of 3 types:

• simpleth breeds, retained flight properties;
• stately (the main quality is decorativeness);
• fighting (special somersault flight).

Flying pigeons demonstrate their best properties in the area in which they were born.

Sickle

The merit in breeding this breed of flying pigeons belongs to Ukrainian breeders. Their main feature is the unusual shape of the wing. One of the joints has a bulge; when flying, the pigeons spread their wings straight in front of them. The extreme feathers are turned inward, slightly towards the center. As a result, they form two sickles. Pigeons were brought to Ukraine from Turkey. They have several varieties.

Crescent pigeons rise quite high when flying. Several hours hover in the air. Departing from the dovecote, the birds separate and fly around the territory on their own. Then they freeze with a vertical line – a whatnot.

This type of pigeon is medium in size, the body is slender, the body is light. The color is variegated. Peculiarities:

• wing narrow, pointed;
• the tail is somewhat longer than the wing;
• sickles are visible during flight;
• flight quality is maintained in the wind.

Pigeons became the progenitors of the Tula, Ochakov breed.

Nikolaev

They are a very valuable breed of flying pigeons among breeders. First appeared in Nikolaev and quickly gained popularity on the Black Sea coast. They are considered descendants of gray pigeons and Turkish. They have an elongated small body, about 40 cm long. The plumage color is white, black, blue, red. The breed is divided into several varieties:

• white-tailed (2-3 colored feathers);
• color-sided (frontal part and sides of the same color).

The history of pigeons of the Nikolaev breed is interesting. The breeders did not pay much attention to the color of the bird and were engaged in improving the flight qualities. Now they are equated with ornamental breeds and the birds have become more interesting in appearance, but flight characteristics are far behind.

For their special flight technique, they are called butterflies – in the air, doves constantly flap their wings, while spreading their wide tail. They prefer to fly alone. During the flight they do not hang in the air.

Iranian

The breed belongs to the flying and fighting types of pigeons. Rising into the sky, they perform tricks, while making characteristic clicks of their wings. For the Iranians, who since ancient times have considered pigeon breeding a sacred occupation, these pigeons are symbols of greatness.

The appearance is varied, but their features are a wide tail, legs without plumage, a dense body, good muscles, dense feathers. The head is small with a small crest. The most valuable is the combined color of plumage. This breed of pigeons does not change color with age or during the molting period. Iranian pigeon breeders prefer birds without any blotches on plumage.

The flight of Iranian pigeons is slow and calm. A distinctive feature of the flight is the fight with the subsequent exit into the pole. The output is fixed – the dove hangs in the air for a few seconds. Flight duration from 3 to 10 hours.

Uzbek pigeons

All types of pigeons bred in Uzbekistan belong to the flying-playing breeds. They are valued for their beauty and flight duration. Of all the breeds of domestic pigeons, they are considered the most freedom-loving. Soaring in the air, pigeons make very loud sounds – clapping their wings. In addition, they can roll over their heads, rise higher into the sky and fall sharply down. Such fun in the air can go on for hours.

The exact number of breeds of Uzbek pigeons is unknown. The most common breeds:

• short-beaked (beak length not more than 8 mm);
• forelock (raised feathers at the back of the head);
• soundless (the feathers on the head are smooth);
• nosochubye (presence of a forelock on the beak and wax);
• two-toed (one forelock is located on the back of the head, the second is above the beak)

In addition to the listed species, Uzbek shaggy pigeons are valued all over the world. They are characterized by the presence of rich plumage on their legs.

Baku

This variety of flying pigeons is popular among breeders in Our Country and the CIS countries. They have won admirers due to their very high flight and beautiful flight, as well as for the variety of plumage colors. They have the perfect combination of flight properties and impeccable appearance.

The birthplace of Baku pigeons is the city of Baku, where breeders paid attention, first of all, to flying qualities. Earlier, in the middle of the 20th century, they did not differ in beauty. In the future, after lengthy selection work, they became the owners of excellent flight characteristics and beautiful appearance.

Among the Baku breed there are shaggy, bare-footed. Forelocks and pigeons with a variety of plumage colors.

“Baku residents” fly one by one in a scattering, demonstrating their skills to amateurs.

Takla

The Turkish breed of flying and playing pigeons Takla has won international recognition. In Turkish, “takla” means somersault. During the somersault, the pigeons make a click and enter the vertical.

It is known about the origin of the breed that it came to Turkey in the XNUMXth century with nomads from Central Asia. They became interested in pigeons because of the rich plumage of the legs and forelocks on the head.

Today, most fighting breeds are descendants of the Turkish Takla. The bird is very easy to train, smart, has a topographic memory.

Takla features:

• able to fly all day;
• when flying, they enter the column several times in a row;
• flight height in the column is about 20 m;
• the battle lasts from 2 to 5 hours;
• the best flying qualities are in birds of discreet shades.

There are more than two dozen varieties of takla: Syrian diving, Iranian fighting, Iraqi fighting group, Armenian.

Andijan

One of the most ancient breeds of Uzbek pigeons. It is known that they were brought to Andijan in 1890 from Iran. Over the years, the breed has improved its qualities, including flight. They are an artificially bred breed of pigeons. Pigeon breeders have achieved the following indicators:

• body weight up to 400 g;
• case length 40 cm;
• the breast is powerful, in girth 28 cm;
• medium-sized head, large eyes;
• legs are even, with a small plumage;
• tail up to 18 cm.

They are valued by breeders for their calm disposition and excellent flying qualities. Very hardy. Flight duration up to 8 hours. The peculiarities of the flight are that when they enter the column, they freeze in the air for several minutes. Rising into the sky, make a circular motion. They fly in a flock. They have a strong attachment to the house and the owner.

Izhevsk

Bred at the beginning of the twentieth century in Udmurtia. A rather large bird, but despite this, it is able to fly up to such a height that it is practically invisible from the ground. The duration of the flight is several hours. It is not recommended to release them in bad weather and during molting, as the loss of the fly feather will not allow them to take off normally. Walks of the Izhevsk breed of pigeons need to be controlled. If the flock flies for 4-5 hours, then they can be released daily. After long flights (12-15 hours) it is better to let them rest the next day.

Izhevsk pigeons are characterized by well-developed muscles, a powerful body, dense plumage, a wide tail and long wings.

monks

The breed of monk pigeons fell in love with German breeders in the XNUMXth century for their unusual appearance and noble demeanor. The name was given to them for an interesting color, reminiscent of a monastic robe. Breeds of German monk pigeons are divided into German cross and Moscow.

A very friendly breed. When a stranger appears, they are happy to invite him to their flock. Very caring parents – they can hatch both their own and other people’s chicks. Breeders use this.

They fly low, but are quite maneuverable. Not adapted for long flights.

Decorative

The most popular bird among domestic pigeons. This is a fairly large group of pigeons with a varied appearance.

Decorative breeds do not have specific standards. Many varieties are similar to each other. Breeders are attracted by unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention.

Occurred by crossing different breeds of domestic pigeons.

Stately

The breed of stately pigeons became known in the 1975th-XNUMXth centuries. First appeared on the territory of the Kuban and the banks of the Don. Further, the habitat expanded significantly. The breed received international recognition in Budapest in XNUMX. Distinctive features of stately pigeons:

• the tips of the wings are lowered to the ground;
• raised tail;
• the chest is raised;
• varied color;
• decorative feathers on the legs and back of the head.

They have many varieties.

Peacocks

They are one of the most ancient breeds of pigeons in the world. Received recognition for grace, grace of movements and high fecundity. At one time they decorated the palaces of the rajas, and in the XNUMXth century they appeared in England and spread throughout Europe. They have a peaceful disposition, do not like to fly. They are bred solely for aesthetic purposes.

Jacobin

In Europe, this pigeon is called the wig pigeon. It got its name thanks to a certain wig – vertically growing feathers. Such a “hairstyle” closes the view and because of this, the flight characteristics of the pigeon suffer greatly. The body of the bird is proportional, long legs, thin tail. The plumage color is varied.

They are popular at exhibitions, as they look very impressive. By nature, they are somewhat pampered, nevertheless they are caring parents.

Meat pigeons

Meat breeds of pigeons are grown and bred for later consumption. They differ from other varieties in their large physique, their average weight is about 650 g. More than 50 breeds belong to this group of pigeons. Many breeds are bred in the USA, France, Italy on a large scale for sale. Each breed of meat pigeons is diverse in appearance, weight, color and fertility.

Strasser

The weight of the bird reaches 1 kg. The body is large, with a protruding breast. They fly very badly. They can be varied in plumage color. They have a strong disposition and often get into fights. They have high fertility. When bred within the breed, they are able to maintain high productivity rates.

Kingi

A breed of pigeons was created after the selection work of US breeders. Kings differ from other meat breeds in that they are often used both as fattening birds for meat and as a show species.

The breed is extremely prolific. They are caring parents. During the season, the female makes 6-8 clutches. The weight of a dove reaches 850 g. In appearance, they resemble chicken birds.

Domestic pigeons in the video are presented below.

Conclusion

Pigeon breeds are interesting and varied. They have been breeding for a long time. Pigeons have always been close to man, trusted him and served. And today pigeon breeding is practiced with pleasure all over the world. Such popularity is due to the fact that the maintenance and care of them does not cause any particular difficulties.