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Uzbek pigeons have long won the sympathy of breeders all over the world. Once upon a time, on the territory of modern Uzbekistan, which was considered a kind of oasis, peoples lived, many of whom were breeding pigeons. The experience and skills of breeders have been passed down from generation to generation, and today Uzbek pigeons are the envy of many lovers of these birds.
The history of pigeons of the Uzbek breed
Uzbek pigeons are birds with a unique history. True, not the whole history of their breeding was reflected in documentary form. The information that has survived to this day is the memories of pigeon breeders about the emergence of a particular breed. In addition, many breeders did not keep a record of breeding work, but transmitted knowledge orally to children and grandchildren. Therefore, much information is distorted or completely lost.
The fighting pigeons of Uzbekistan have always been popular in Central Asian countries. Despite the constant conflicts, the civilian population was actively engaged in pigeon breeding, the exchange and purchase of birds.
One of the Tashkent pigeon breeders Danilov N. N. writes that in the XNUMXth century, pigeons were brought to the vicinity of the city, which differed greatly from the usual breeds with a shortened beak and abundant plumage on their paws. Bird lovers from Samarkand, Tashkent, Bukhara showed interest in this species also for the unusual game in flight. Already in the XNUMXth century, short-billed pigeons were recognized by all breeders. Further, the emir’s pigeon breeders played a significant role in the improvement of the species. They described the breed standard, carried out selection work in terms of flight and play properties. After the Uzbek pigeon came to Our Country (Krasnodar Territory), it was mated with turmans and gulls, as a result of which the shaggy, short-billed dove “Armavirsky” appeared.
The work of Tashkent pigeon breeders on improving the breed of a two-toed pigeon in two directions is interesting: fighting and decorative. As a result, the quality and exterior indicators were improved, and the Tashkent two-leg flight-playing pigeon was obtained. And to obtain a decorative breed, crosses were carried out with other species and mestizos were obtained in the first generation. Further, an exhibition breed was obtained with an improved appearance: the shape and decoration of the head, unusual plumage of the legs.
The first standards of the Uzbek decorative and fighting breeds were adopted in 1969 in Tashkent. At the same time, a club of amateur pigeon breeders was organized. The approval of standards was necessary for the international recognition of new Uzbek species. The main points of the previously described standards have not changed today.
In 1978, Tashkent breeders decided to call all two-toed, tufted, naso-toed, chubat pigeons Uzbek shaggy-legged. A unifying feature for them is the presence of rich plumage on the paws (hairs, spurs) and the color of the hull and wings common to them.
Features of pigeons of Uzbekistan
Individuals are subdivided according to standards adopted throughout the world. They are divided into flight and exhibition, according to the exterior and according to belonging to a particular breed.
The main feature for which Uzbek pigeons are so loved all over the world is their cheerful, playful disposition. Almost all types of pigeons in Uzbekistan belong to the group of “fighting” pigeons for the sounds they make during the flight. Not all birds are able to take off so beautifully, tumble in the air, sort out their wings.
Fans are attracted by the unusual plumage on the legs of birds as a sign of noble origin and various forelocks on their heads. The color of Uzbek pigeons is also diverse. It is divided into color, motley and belt. The most common plumage colors are black, red, gray, brown. There are also purple and yellow.
Breed standards:
- body about 30-38 cm;
- color corresponds to a certain subspecies;
- head with a steep frontal part;
- presence of bangs;
- the beak is short, thickened;
- plumage on paws not less than 10 cm.
Uzbek pigeons are shown in the photo.
Uzbek pigeons are very demanding on the conditions of detention. To date, there are very few of their representatives left. More often they are kept in enclosures, because of which the birds lose their flying qualities.
Fighting Uzbek pigeons
In addition to the unusual sound accompaniment of the flight, birds are able to soar during the flight for a long time, while being quite high. The plumage has about 10 individual feathers. Each has its own specific function: some serve as a decoration for the bird, others allow you to make various movements during the flight, the rest make the same sounds in the air, because of which the birds are called fighting.
The special arrangement of the feathers allows them to land on the ground at great speed. Bird watchers have calculated that birds can roll up to 20 times before landing.
The exterior may vary depending on the subspecies. For example, birds may or may not have forelocks, the length of the neck, beak, and body weight may differ.
The absolute leader among pigeons of this species is the Uzbek Tasmans. Often they can be found at various events, as they lend themselves well to training and look very impressive during performances.
The breed is not agricultural. Its purpose is to delight connoisseurs of wildlife and pigeon breeders. Indeed, behind the grace and beauty of these birds lies a great creative thought.
Decorative Uzbek pigeons
Trying to give the birds as much grace and beauty as possible, Uzbek breeders held many events before the world saw the updated breed. For the breeding of decorative Uzbek pigeons, all the ancestors of pigeons, gulls, tumblers participated.
Decorative Uzbek pigeons are an exhibition breed. Participants are given marks on a 100-point system according to established exterior standards.
Today, Uzbek pigeons mostly have a snow-white beak. However, some breeds have a beak and darker shades. It has a slight deflection, low landing. Sometimes it must match the color of the plumage. The cere fits snugly to the head.
The size of the individual is medium. Representatives of any breed can be called compact and slender. The body has a slightly elongated shape. The tail and back make up a single line, as it were. Feathers fit snugly against delicate, white skin.
The head is round, the eyes are expressive. They have a different shade of the iris: gray, black, mother-of-pearl. The skin on the eyelids is white.
On the paws, the so-called cosmos are long feathers, which are a distinctive feature of the Uzbek pigeons. Spurs should be combined with cosmos.
The tail has 12 long feathers. There may be spots and stripes on the wings and tail.
Fight of Uzbek pigeons
Uzbek pigeons tolerate high temperatures well and can rise high into the sky under the sun.
Their flight is beautiful and unique. Birds are capable of doing various somersaults in flight, while making sounds resembling clicking. This sound is heard from afar. They gain height up to 20 meters, make a big circle, hover in the air, do a somersault and again rise vertically for a couple of meters.
Some species, rising, can turn over with a corkscrew around their axis. This type of fighting pigeons is called screw. It happens that during somersaults they lose control and die, crashing into roofs or trees. Experienced breeders sometimes trim the tail feathers of pigeons, this helps to avoid tragedy.
The hovering of fighting rocks in flight looks very beautiful. During this, the birds slowly turn and flap their wings loudly.
Another type of flight of Uzbek pigeons is ribbon. Somersaulting of a bird is carried out without vertical take-off and hovering. But many breeders cull pigeons that fly this way.
Birds with an incomplete 360° turn or, conversely, with a large turn, as well as individuals that miss the clicking of wings when turning, or flap their wings, but without turning, are culled.
Varieties of Uzbek pigeons
The exact number of subspecies bred by breeders is unknown. This is due to the fact that amateurs, competing with each other, get new breeds, but do not document the process.
Previously, starting from the XNUMXth century, breeding was available only to rich people. They regularly held competitions, where the pigeon that was able to stay in the air longer than the rest always won. Thus, both in those times and now, different breeds are valued for their flying qualities, tricks in the air, wing flapping and flight duration. Among the most famous species that have earned sympathy all over the world are chubby, chubby, two-toothed, shaggy-legged, short-beaked.
In addition, they are subdivided according to suit and plumage patterns.
Two-toed Uzbek pigeons
They are the most unique breed of Uzbekistan. It was bred at the beginning of the twentieth century. The progenitors of the breed are some Persian species, Turkish and Chinese birds. They were crossed with local short-beaked. The standards of the Uzbek two-toed pigeons were adopted in 1990, supplemented by flight characteristics in 2002.
Appearance of two-toed individuals:
- the head is wide, the frontal part is round, the cere is swollen;
- the beak is miniature, wide, with a slight deflection, white;
- the color of the iris of the eye depends on the color of the bird;
- front forelock in the form of a rose, may be curly;
- the back forelock looks like a crown, goes into a mane;
- tufts on the legs grow in 3 layers, covering the fingers and metatarsus, their length is about 10 cm;
- the spurs merge with the plumage on the legs, passing into the undertail.
The color of the birds of this breed is white or multi-colored, characterized by uniformity of color. The flight of two-toed is evaluated by duration, height, volume of the battle, tricks. Usually they fly at an average height, stay in the sky for several hours, and go out into a column on takeoff.
You can see the flight of the two-toed pigeons of Uzbekistan on the video.
Unique individuals of Uzbek pigeons from the nursery of S.A. Gitalova are presented here.
Individuals that have retained their flying qualities and have not lost their beautiful appearance are especially valued.
Chubaty Uzbek pigeons
Chuby Uzbek pigeons have another name – chelkari. Their second name comes from a forelock on the back of the head, the length of which reaches 2 cm.
Often before shows, this forelock is combed to show belonging to the breed. Because of this, the forelocks have a somewhat daring look.
For forelock pigeons of the exhibition direction, there are more stringent requirements for the type and shape of the crest on the back of the head. For flight-playing birds, the requirements for the exterior are less stringent, but it still has a certain influence on competitions.
Nasal Uzbek pigeons
Nasopharyngeal are characterized by the presence of a forelock in the area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe beak and cere. At the same time, the short beak is hidden behind the abundant plumage. It happens that the beak and eyes are completely closed. By breed standards, the beak should protrude slightly from the feathers.
Nose-toed pigeons are the most expensive representatives of all pigeons in Uzbekistan.
Chubby Uzbek pigeons
This species is characterized by the absence of a forelock. The feathers on the head and body of representatives of this breed are smooth, without rise.
A slight deviation from the standard, that is, the presence of 2-3 raised feathers on the back of the head, is a sign of an unclean bird. These are to be discarded.
They have a small head and a shortened neck, long tufts on their legs, like other pigeons of Uzbekistan.
Short-billed Uzbek pigeons
This species has a beak which should not exceed 8 mm in size, otherwise they will no longer be considered short-beaked. Pigeon breeders have a special grid of matching sizes, where the standards are indicated. It determines the belonging of a bird to this species. Often the beak of this species resembles that of a parrot.
This breed is more of a decorative species. Short-beaked ones with two well-shaped forelocks are especially valued.
Shaggy-legged Uzbek pigeons
Uzbek shaggy-legged – a group of breeds that are part of the slaughter. Representatives differ from each other in the color of plumage.
Breed standards:
- the body is slightly elongated, of medium size;
- the plumage is dense;
- the head is rounded, can be decorated with a forelock, beard, mustache;
- eyes are round, gray, black or silvery, depending on the color of plumage;
- the beak is short, thick;
- the breast is flat;
- the back is even, on a single line with the tail;
- wings of medium length, closing over the tail;
- in the tail section there are 12 tail feathers;
- the limbs are short, covered with feathers, the length of which is about 16 cm;
- spurs (hawk feathers) up to 6 cm long, merge with the plumage of the legs;
- flying high.
The most famous breeds from the group of shaggy-legged Uzbek pigeons are chinny, chelkari, malla, avlaki, ruyan, ud, gulbadam, white pigeons.
Pigeon names by color
Uzbek pigeons have a very diverse range of colors: white, red, marble, ashy, brown. Each has a name in Uzbek. For example, a beige color is malla, yellow is novatty, gray is oud, white with a red breast is a trap.
Pigeons of the same color are bred, but after the first or second molt, individuals acquire the color inherent in a particular breed.
Uzbek chinny pigeons
Chinns can play in the sky, “pull the pole”. Feather color is white. Yellow, red feathers can be on the head and neck. Sometimes these motley feathers are on the breast. They have a shortened body, low legs, well-feathered. The head is small, there is a wide forelock on the back of the head, a pair of slightly curved feathers above the beak. Pearly eyes.
There are varieties within the breed. For example, Uzbek pigeons are trap-chinny, novatt-chinny, Kyzyl-chinny, Karapat-chinny. All of them differ in plumage color. For unusual colors, they are sometimes called Uzbek pigeons gulbadam (almond flower).
Mallya Uzbek doves
Mallya – pigeons with black stripes on the wing. Bred by crossing Saus and biys of different colors. They are decorative breeds of pigeons. Their peculiarity is to change the color of feathers depending on the season. They are lighter in summer and darker in winter.
The body of the mall is slender, the chest is wide. Legs with profuse shag. The length of the beak is 4-5 cm. They are divided into okmalla (beige color), kyzyl-malla (chocolate with a hint of cherry), kara-malla (chestnut color).
Uzbek avlaki pigeons
Avlaki are white birds. From birth, they do not change their color. Wings have a variety of colors.
Types of avlaks: savz-avlak (white with a belt on the sides), kyzyl-avlak (white, red feathers on the wings), kuran-avlak (white with gray-red feathers).
Uzbek Termez pigeons
Origin – the city of Termez (Uzbekistan). Hence the name of the bird. Medium size, solid build. The color is jet black, there are red and mallya. Occasionally there are forelocks. Shaggy hairs from 5 to 10 cm. They can stay in flight for up to 2 hours with a very strong game.
Uzbek pigeons ruyana
There are two varieties: directly ruyan (fiery red color of plumage), kara-ruyan (brown-red, black overflows on feathers).
Breeding Uzbek pigeons
Breeding is an ancient and noble occupation. For some breeders it’s a business, for others it’s a matter of the soul.
There are no special breeding requirements. However, it is necessary to provide proper care, feeding, accommodation, to establish reproductive function in order to obtain full-fledged offspring in the future.
You should start with the arrangement of the dovecote. It should be warm, without drafts, well protected from cats. You also need space and light.
Every day it is necessary to carry out cleaning, disinfection once a month. In drinking bowls and baths there should be only clean water.
The diet should contain barley (40%), millet (30%), millet (10%), greens (10%). It is supposed to feed 2 times a day in winter, 3 times in summer.
The breeding process takes place in the spring. The female makes a clutch of 2 eggs with an interval of a day. Hatching lasts about a month. The maternal instinct is well developed in pigeons, so the breeder just needs to watch the female daily.
Finely chopped grain mixtures are introduced into the diet of hatched chicks in a timely manner. They also carry out prophylactic administration of antibiotics, vaccinate and treat against parasites.
Conclusion
Uzbek pigeons are one of the most beautiful and elegant captive birds in the world. Their grace, unusual and varied color attracts the attention of ornithologists, pigeon breeders and just lovers. All breeds are distinguished by a daring character, unusual energy in flight. Any specialist, even from afar, is able to distinguish them from other species.