The first evidence of pigeons dates back to Ancient Egypt, around 4000 BC. At that time there were only rock and rock pigeons, and only later did people begin to breed various species of these birds. Today there are about 280 of them. Among them, the most famous are wild, meat, postal and ornamental.
This article will tell you about the breeds of pigeons with photographs and names of species.
Wild pigeons
Wild representatives of the pigeon family live in forests and mountains, but some can be found on the streets of the city. They do not like to nest in places where people live. Wild pigeons raise their chicks in rocks, forests, and river cliffs, that is, in deserted places.
Now let's look at the types of wild pigeons with their photos and names.
Wood Pigeon
The wood pigeon is the largest forest pigeon. Its habitat is European forests. The winged ones can be seen in Turkey, the Himalayas, Iran and Iraq. You can meet these representatives of birds not only in the forest, but also in the city.
Interesting fact: the further north wood pigeons live, the more representatives with a nomadic lifestyle are found who spend the winter in Moldova.
Wood pigeons are the largest representatives of pigeons. Their body reaches approximately 45 cm in length, and they weigh up to 650 g. The pigeon's tail is longer than its body and reaches 77 cm. The wingspan is more than 73 cm, and the bird flaps them loudly when taking off.
This breed usually has bluish-gray plumage, but the wings can be brown. The neck and chest are gray with a red tint. The cere with the beak is pinkish in color, and the tip of the beak is yellow.
Wood pigeons nest preferably in trees up to 12 meters high. The nest consists exclusively of twigs, each of which must undergo very strict selection.
Rock pigeon
Rock pigeons, also called sisari, are well-known street pigeons. They are the most common in the world. This bird can be found in almost any city in the world. But they can also be seen in the mountains or forests. They are predominantly sedentary birds. Only occasionally can they fly away, covering vast distances.
Caesar is a fairly large pigeon. Its body length reaches 36 cm, and its wingspan reaches 68 cm. Weight reaches 380 g.
The plumage has about 28 types of colors. But, as a rule, the body of a pigeon is ash-gray in color. The chest has iridescent red plumage.
rock pigeon
The rock pigeon is an almost exact copy of the sizar. However, the first ones are slightly smaller in size. Their body reaches a maximum of 37 cm, and their wingspan reaches up to 68 cm.
The color of the rock pigeon matches the gray one. The only differences are that the rocky ones have a much lighter tail and a black beak.
The habitat of rock pigeons is the mountains of Tibet, Altai Territory and Korea. They nest in abandoned buildings and mountain crevices.
crowned pigeon
The crowned pigeon is considered the most beautiful species of the pigeon family. All because of the tuft on his head. It is three times the size of the head itself.
The crowned pigeon's body length is approximately 70 cm and its weight is up to 3 kg. That is, this bird is similar in size to a domestic turkey.
The color of the crowned one is not quite ordinary. The entire lower part is dark brown, but the upper part is a soft blue color. The wings have plumage with white stripes.
These beautiful birds live in New Guinea and Australia.
Crowned ones are highly valued not only for their beautiful appearance. This bird is endangered.
Klintukh
Klintukh is a wood pigeon that lives in Turkey, China, Africa, Siberia and Kazakhstan. Unlike their other brothers, they prefer tree hollows to nests.
The body length of the clintukh is 33-35 cm, and the weight is up to 365 g.
These birds are distinguished by beautiful plumage with a bluish tint.
Varieties
Each pigeon has a number of characteristics that are taken into account when assessing:
- purebred, genetic qualities;
- adaptability, that is, the ability to get along in different conditions of weather, care, climate;
- flight ability, ability to fly at different altitudes, terrain orientation, covering long distances, speed, stunt skills, acrobatics;
- type of cooing;
- character and temperament;
- reproductive qualities.
Ornithologists divide pigeons according to different characteristics. The most popular and simple classification takes into account such a parameter as use in a practical sense. According to this characteristic, a pigeon can be:
- decorative type;
- sports (formerly called postal);
- meat;
- flight;
- wild.
With the exception of the last group, all named varieties belong to domestic pigeons.
Wild
Pigeons of this species are distributed throughout the globe; different breeds are found in different climatic conditions.
- Rock dove. The most numerous species, it was named after its color type. They are found both in Africa and on the Eurasian continent, practically do not migrate, and nest in nature on rocks. Similar to rocky ones, but have a darker tail color.
- Rocky. It also builds nests in the mountains, in abandoned areas. The shade is similar to gray, but there are inclusions of light color. You can meet them in Korea, in the mountains of Tibet, Altai, and the Himalayas.
- Crowned, or fan-bearing. They live in the tropics, love humid climates and forests. Their head is decorated with a non-static crest, the size of these birds is small, and their limbs are long.
- Clintuh. Most often found in Turkey, China, Kazakhstan and the African mainland. They are a beautiful blue color with green splashes. They can live in cold regions, but migrate to warm regions for the winter. They make nests in hollows.
- Wood pigeon. Similar in appearance to the previous ones, but larger, nest in trees, live mainly on the Eurasian continent.
Homemade
Carrier pigeons today are called sports pigeons; before the introduction of communications, they performed the function of delivering letters and were worth their weight in gold. Modern competitive events essentially have the same responsibilities - to quickly cover certain distances. There are quite a lot of varieties in this group of domestic pigeons. The most popular are Belgian and English quarries.
Although the Belgians do not look very impressive, they can develop incredible flight speeds. They are considered one of the fastest flying. The English are more beautiful in appearance: with an elongated neck, original growths on the beak and eyes. Outwardly, they deserve to be classified as decorative. However, the ability to cover vast distances in a short time makes them excellent athletes.
Flight
In addition to speed, pigeons are also distinguished by their flight style. Flight pigeons are distinguished based on this feature. Each of the breeds in this group has some distinctive qualities of very spectacular flight. Among them the following subgroups are distinguished:
- high-flying - capable of soaring up and staying in the air for a very long time, the maximum flight altitude can be 1500 m, while the birds also perform various tricks during the flight;
- racing - they do not fly for too long, they circle, they are able to lie on the wing, as if turning over in the air;
- combative - they don’t fly too high, but they are able to somersault back, flap their wings, and can perform various tricks in the air;
- rollers - also know how to flip over the wing, but they do this not occasionally, but constantly, so their flight is similar to a spiral one.
Now we have to learn about the most popular varieties of flying pigeons.
Nikolaevskie
One of the most common large-sized flying birds, they are distinguished by sharply soaring into the sky and freezing in the air, as if hovering. The colors are black, red, white, gray, and there are white-tailed representatives. Their body shape is streamlined, the plumage is thick and very abundant. The wings and tail are movable, allowing you to adjust the flight speed even in strong winds. They can soar upward without spinning, flying quite quickly to maximum heights. They are hidden from view during the flight and can remain high for quite a long time. If they are properly cared for and properly trained, they can fly for up to 9 hours continuously.
They do not fly in flocks, but alone, soaring at altitude like an eagle or fluttering like butterflies. Among the subspecies there are end ones, although they are less common. Butterfly individuals are capable of soaring and descending vertically, turning their folds in the direction of the wind. The wind does not prevent Nikolaevites from flying long and beautifully; on the contrary, without wind they fly worse. The character of these pigeons is lively and energetic. Adaptability to different conditions is high, reproductive capabilities are good, the brooding instinct is not lost. This breed is very popular and is recommended for beginning poultry keepers.
German monks
The posture of these birds is proud, the landing is of a high type. Monk pigeons are small in size, with a protruding forehead, a small beak, and a hood on the head. Thanks to the hood and color they got their name. The color of the suit can be blue, silver, ash, coffee, yellow, red, black, but always even. The breed is very hardy. The flight style is quite standard, but they fly in flocks, which creates a spectacular impression. The flight altitude is low, the duration is average. There are individuals called horses. They fly off the roofs, seeing other people's pigeons, flapping their wings and inviting them into their dovecote. Reproductive abilities are quite high, they are easy to care for, and the incubation instinct is not lost.
Short-billed Thurman
The size of the bird is small, the head is proportional to the body, the wings are drooping, the flight involves somersaults, and is very mobile.
White-headed Armavir cosmach
They belong to the fighting group, their flight is low, no more than 100 m, they very often turn over already at a height of ten meters, and are distinguished by the dense plumage of their limbs. Bred in the Krasnodar region. They can be either forelocked or toothless. The plumage is hawk-type, one of the most elongated among pigeons. Possible colors: red, yellow, burnt, sparrow. The shades are always saturated, there is a crimson tint. The landing is high, the posture is proud. The flight is spectacular, thanks to a pillar descent with a fight. Gradually, the species becomes decorative, they do not require special conditions for keeping, they are not capricious, they hatch and raise their chicks well.
Berlin
Fighting pigeons, rarely seen, long-beaked. The posture is very slender, since the body and head are positioned vertically and the neck horizontally. The beak is thin.
Tippler
High-flying representatives, very hardy, can fly up to 20 hours, standard appearance, color gray, red, black, blue, yellow. They are rare in Russia, mostly common in Europe, but they are loved by breeders and present themselves well at exhibition forums. The size of the birds is average, the body is streamlined, the chest is powerfully developed, the head is smooth, the neck is short, the limbs are bare, the color is monochrome. Individuals are very hardy and can fly for a very long time, regardless of the weather. The maximum flight time is 16 hours, setting world records for the duration of summer. They are able to climb high, orient themselves well only at low altitudes, and can fly far.
Andijan
Fightingly high-flying, crested, with elongated plumage on the limbs, they fly for up to 8 hours, performing various tricks. The weight is quite substantial - up to 400 grams, the size is large, the muscles are well developed. The tail is straight and has at least 12 tail feathers. The eyes are expressive, white or silver. There are a lot of suits, about 70 variations. They are distinguished by a beautiful gait, in which they stretch out in a straight line. The flight style is original, the pigeons soar vertically to serious heights. They can perform various somersaults, somersaults, and flapping their wings. The maximum flight time is up to 10 hours.
Kursk
High-flying group, take off up to 4 km. Color: black and white, coffee, red, pockmarked. They can be red-tailed or yellow-tailed.
Agaran
They belong to the fighting variety and are of medium size. The chest protrudes forward, a large tail with tail feathers, and limbs with feathers. They have excellent flying abilities. Females are good brood hens.
Hungarians
High-flying representatives. The proportions are off: the body is medium, with a very small head. The rest of the appearance is standard. They can fly quite high for up to 10 hours.
Meat
Pigeon meat is highly valued, its taste is excellent, and its benefits are undeniable. Meat contains a lot of vitamins and microelements and is considered dietary. Today there are about 70 meat breeds. List of the most common ones:
- King - fleshy body, well-developed muscles, strong bones, they come in white, brown, black, it is difficult for them to fly due to their heavy weight;
- English Monden - broad-boned, well-developed muscles, weighs about 900 grams, color is both monochrome and magpie, tail raised high;
- Carnot - have incredibly tasty meat, considered a delicacy, weight - up to 700 grams, dark-colored feathers, standard appearance;
- French Monden is a large breed, body weight is more than 1 kg, most of the weight is meat, very popular;
- Roman red - the meat is considered a delicacy, pigeons are notable for their excellent immunity and resistance to diseases;
- Strasser is a large pigeon, breeds well, the meat is tender in structure;
- Texan - very well developed reproduction, weight - about 1 kg, one of the most profitable breeds;
- The Roman giant is an Italian breed that does not tolerate harsh climates, the height of the bird is up to 55 cm, weight is up to 1.5 kg, the color is marbled or gray-white.
Decorative
These birds are bred only for aesthetics. As a rule, they are characterized by a spectacular appearance, rare colors, unusual build, and stateliness. They may have different differences in appearance: two-forelocked, forelocked, broad-tailed, curly. Such pigeons are artificially bred, their appearance is the painstaking work of breeders. Below are the most common breeds of the decorative group.
- Peacock. One of the most famous varieties. Their plumage is lush, beautiful, mostly snow-white. They have a very solemn appearance, they are often used for various ceremonies, and launched into the sky on holidays.
- Barbs. Monochrome birds, presented in the following shades: red, yellow, brown, charcoal, snow-white. There are folds of skin near the beak and eyes.
- Brno blower. Their appearance is unusual, they are distinguished by their slender build, elongated body type, smoothly flowing into the limbs. The goiter is very large, as if tied at the bottom with a belt. Inflators walk only on their toes, without resting on the entire foot.
- Jacobin. The head of this bird seems to be crowned with a wig; in fact, it is plumage in the neck area. During the selection process, flight qualities were lost, and external features became more expressive.
- Bohemian space-footed. The Czech breed belongs to the group of colored birds. They are distinguished by their large build and fluffy plumage. The wings and limbs have a non-trivial coloring - checkered.
- Saxon priest. They have a hood on their head, which resembles a cassock. The colors are varied, but there is a prerequisite - white-fronted. The plumage on the limbs is long, with two forelocks.
- Curly. A very popular variety, the plumage of pigeons of this breed is very unusual, the ends of the feathers on the limbs, wings and tail curl. The color is both monochrome and spotted.
- Dragons. The height is average, the plumage is hard, the tail is bright, with a dark stripe, and curls. The neck is short, there is a collar. The beak is long and thin, with a large growth.
- Viennese short-billed. Colored variety, color can be lemon, cherry. The size is medium, the build is strong, the beak is shortened.
Meat pigeons
Meat pigeons are also called chicken pigeons. This is due to the fact that they look very similar to chicken. They are bred primarily for food. Pigeon meat is an expensive delicacy.
Roman
The Roman pigeon was bred in the Italian city of Modena. This species gains weight up to 950 g.
The color of the breed varies. You can count more than 200 varieties of colors.
King
They were bred by crossing the Italian Modena with carrier pigeons. The color has 4 colors: white, black, brown and spotted.
Kings are prized for their meatiness. They are so heavy that they cannot rise into the air. Their weight reaches one kilogram.
English modena
English Modena is Italian Modena modernized by the British. Their weight reaches almost one kilogram. Therefore, it is very profitable to breed them for cooking. Externally, the Modena is similar to the King, but its tail stands upright. These birds come in line or solid colors.
Texan
It is in second place in popularity among meat breeds after the King. Main features: weight and fertility. Texans reach one kilogram; they can hatch up to 24 chicks in a year.
Strasser
Strasser is one of the popular meat breeds. Their weight reaches 1200 g. During the year, Strasser's dove gives birth to up to 12 chicks. Therefore, it is very profitable to breed them.
There is also a very interesting feature of the breed: they can be both meat and decorative.
Natural enemies
You cannot envy pigeons, since they have quite a lot of natural enemies. Pigeons are hunted by feathered predators such as falcons, marsh harriers, kites and others.
They attack these birds right in the air. On the ground, surprises await these birds, in the form of martens, ferrets, cats and even rats.
Almost wherever pigeons live, all predators are not against feasting on pigeons.
When keeping pigeons at home, you need to make sure that no predator in the form of a ferret or the most common rat gets to the pigeons. These rodents pose a serious danger to newly born chicks.
Flight (racing) pigeons
A special feature of flying pigeons is their excellent ability to navigate over absolutely any terrain. Despite a very long or difficult journey, they will always return home.
Flight pigeons are divided into two types:
- high-flying - they rise to a very high altitude, at which they can fly for a very long time;
- racing - take off with a somersault through the wing or tail.
Nikolaevskaya breed
The Nikolaevskaya breed was bred in the Ukrainian city of Nikolaev. Representatives of the species rise vertically into the air.
The bird's body length reaches 40 cm, and its head is elongated. The Nikolaev breed has a large and straight tail, which opens like a fan in flight.
The color of this species is the most varied. The palette varies from white to black. There are also solid and spotted representatives.
German monk
The German monk was bred in Germany in the 17th century. It is distinguished by low flights and a hood at the back of the head.
The body length is approximately 36 cm, and the tail is long, narrow and flat. The beak is of medium length.
The color is usually white with a dark (blue or brown) head and tail.
Long-winged Prussian
A distinctive feature of the long-winged dove, as the name suggests, is its long wings and tail. The wingspan reaches one meter. This breed is native to India, but today it is also found in Arab countries and Europe.
Long-winged pigeons are divided into two types:
- Syrian;
- Egyptian.
Only Syrian pigeons can fly long distances.
The color is dark brown or blue-black.
Berlin short-billed tumbler
The Berlin short-billed tumbler is a small bird with a round head and a short beak. The colors of these birds are the most varied and in the most delicate colors.
Habitats
Pigeons live on almost all continents, with the exception of the North and South Poles.
These birds inhabit various terrestrial biotopes, from dense forests to deserts, as well as mountainous areas at altitudes of up to 5 thousand meters, including in areas where humans operate.
About 60% of pigeon species inhabit islands and are not found on continents.
There are 9 species of similar birds found on the territory of Russia, and the largest number of currently existing species live in South America and Australia.
Decorative pigeons
Decorative pigeons were bred for lovers of beautiful and delicate birds. Therefore, all representatives have an unusual posture, body shape, withers and plumage.
Barb
Looking at such a bird, the first thing you notice is the small head and large eyes, bordered by skin growths that give them an even larger size. These pigeons have a short beak and a protruding forehead. Very often their color is white, but other colors can be found.
Peacock
These are the most beautiful, graceful and exclusively white pigeons. They got their name from their peacock-like tail. All pigeon keepers strive to have such a bird.
Saxon priest
The Saxon priest differs from his fellows by his crest, white forehead and elongated feathers on his legs. You can meet representatives with a wide variety of colors.
Brno blower
The Brno Pouter is an unusual bird. They walk “on tiptoes”, so they appear slimmer and more dignified. They also have the habit of inflating their crop to large sizes.
Curly
This breed is characterized by its curly feathers, which look very unusual and elegant. Beautiful feathers are located mainly on the wings and legs.
Bohemian space-footed fairy swallow
This unusual breed appeared in the Czech Republic. It differs from its fellows in its unusual checkerboard pattern of plumage and long feathers on its legs.
Diet
The diet of pigeons is based on food items of plant origin, in the form of leaves, seeds and fruits.
As a rule, pigeons swallow fruits with seeds, and then the seeds are regurgitated back.
Pigeons feed on seeds either fallen from the surface of the ground, or pluck them directly from plants using their beaks.
The Galapagos dove is distinguished by the fact that it searches for seeds in the thickness of the earth; for this, it picks up the soil with its beak. Pigeons can also feed on small invertebrates, but part of this food in the pigeons’ diet is very insignificant.
Naturally, pigeons drink water, but in an unusual way for birds: they suck the water inside. To find water for themselves, pigeons sometimes fly great distances.
Postal (sports)
As the name implies, carrier pigeons were bred by people specifically to deliver mail over long distances.
English quarry
The breed originated from Asian quarries. Their origin can be seen in the skin folds around the beak and eyes.
Belgian postal
Belgian homing pigeons are the fastest pigeons of all known breeds. All this is thanks to the wide chest, small tail and streamlined plumage.
Types of dovecotes
There are many types of dovecotes , but among them the main ones can be distinguished, such as:
- The attic dovecote is the most common type of dovecote at the beginning of the development of pigeon science. In this type, the attic was used directly for keeping birds, and for walking, a cage was built above the dormer window;
- Dovecotes for rural areas most often consisted of a small room of one to one and a half, maximum two floors and an extension for walking of approximately the same size. Young animals and equipment are most often kept in the lower part of the dovecote, and adults are kept in the upper part;
- Pillar dovecotes - these small houses, raised on poles above the ground, are suitable for keeping 2-4 decorative domestic pigeons;
- Free dovecote - designed for nesting rock pigeons in large cities. Basically it has a six or octagonal shape and is divided into tiers. The nests are open.
Popular Domestic Breeds
Domestic pigeons were bred by lovers of exotic pets. Therefore, many of them can be found in modern dovecotes. Below is a list of the most common breeds today.
Grivuny
This breed was bred in Russia. Pigeons look very elegant. However, they are also valued for their flight qualities. They all have the same color: always white, with a spot on the “mane”, which can be black, brown or even yellow.
Zaporozhye Chubby
This breed was bred in Zaporozhye at the beginning of the 20th century. They have two colors: white or gray. They have a long but small body.
Black and piebald tumblers
Black and piebald tumblers have a small round head, large eyelids, long wings and a tail. The body of the bird is black, and only the wings and feathers around the eyes are white.
Kamyshinsky
The birthplace of the Kamyshin pigeon is Russia. Their distinctive feature is their color: jet black with boiling white wings.
Nezhinsky
These birds are almost completely white. However, the front of the head, neck and tail are colored black.
Dubovsky
This breed was bred in the Volga region. Outwardly they look like rock pigeons. However, their wings are white.
Klaipeda
This breed is named after the Lithuanian city of Klaipeda. Klaipeda pigeons are very prolific and unpretentious. That's why they are so popular.
English Crusades
In terms of body shape, representatives of the breed are similar to rock pigeons. A distinctive feature of the English Crusades is the crest on the neck. And their color is not quite ordinary: the body is white, and the tail and head are dark.
Volga red-breasted
This breed was created by crossing more than three types of pigeons. They are very prolific, hatching and feeding pigeons themselves.
Baku fighting
These are high-flying pigeons. They are very beautiful and have a neck crest characteristic of many breeds.
Aacharean gulls with lacquer shields
This breed was developed in Germany. It is worth noting that such birds are very demanding to care for. The entire pigeon, with the exception of the shield, is white.
Antwerp
In color and shape it resembles the Aakharean gull. However, they are distinguished by their short beak.
Reproduction, lifespan
The reproduction of these birds depends on egg laying. If pigeons are kept at home, then the laying of eggs can be predicted by the behavior of the female. A couple of days before this, she becomes inactive and often sits in the nest.
The process of laying eggs occurs a couple of weeks after fertilization.
A pair of pigeons builds a nest for themselves, and the male finds and brings the necessary building material, and the female forms a nest from it.
In their natural habitat, these birds live for about 5 years, since they have many different enemies. If you keep pigeons at home, providing them with suitable conditions, then pigeons can live 3 or even 5 times longer.
Most beautiful
Red-necked Pied
This wild pigeon lives only in Southeast Asia. A distinctive feature of the birds is their coloring: the head, neck and chest are purple-pink. There is a white and black stripe running under the chest, the abdomen is gray, and the upper body is dark green.
Golden motley
This is a very small bird. Its body length is only 20 cm. The plumage is mainly yellow, for which the pigeon got its name. It is also wild and lives in the forests of the islands of Ovalau, Gau, Viti Levu, etc.
Mariana Pied
These pigeons are also called fruit pigeons. This is due to the unusual color. The front of the head is bright pink, the rest of it is gray. The whole body is green, but blue feathers are visible in the wings and tail.
Sharp-crested stone
The most unusual pigeon. There is a sharp and high crest on his head. Color: brown with black stripes. The bird is also wild and lives in the desert interior of Australia.
Mury
Very massive and strong pigeons. Their color is white with scattered colored feathers (red, black, yellow or coffee).
Pink-headed Pied
Small pigeons are distinguished by their color. The lower part of the body is white, and the wings, tail and back of the neck are green. These are wild birds, their habitat is the southern part of Thailand.
Pink-capped Pied
A very small bird. Its length is only 24 cm and has a very unusual color: its abdomen is orange-red and its chest is gray. There is a yellow spot on the neck and a red spot on the head. Mostly the plumage is green.
Volzhsky tape
This is a very young breed. It was bred in the 20th century by crossing the Rzhev, Syzran lop-winged and Volga red-breasted pigeons. They look very elegant. The legs have long feathers, and the tail is bushy, with a white horizontal stripe.
Old German gull
A very pretty bird: the head is round, the beak is short, and there is a lush crest on the neck. The body is usually white, but the wings are colored.
Simple
These are, as a rule, the simplest shade options: black and white, white. The black dove definitely stands out among the simple flowers. Representatives of this color live in the subtropics, their plumage is a rich charcoal color, and there are individuals with red splashes. Gray pigeons are very common, they can be found on any continent, this is the most numerous color group. Smoky feathers are often complemented by hints of green and silver. Brown pigeons are quite similar to gray ones and are also numerous. As a rule, brown birds are somewhat smaller in size, the brownness is similar to a dark gray tone, but it contains inclusions of a color such as brown.
