About eight hundred breeds of pigeons were bred by man, among which there are birds that are distinguished by a special external attractiveness. They are used both for decorative and for sports purposes. We will find out which breeds are considered the most beautiful among pigeon breeders.
English cross dove
The second name of this breed is “Dove Nun” - its bird received for black-and-white plumage and an original “hood” of feathers, reminiscent of worshipers. The breed was bred in the UK. Appointment - decorative. External signs:
- The main color is white.
- The color of the head, apron and long tail feathers is black.
- The boundaries between the different colored areas are clearly drawn.
- Eyes - pearl color. The pupils are extremely small.
- Thick and short body, convex chest, shoulders - wide. The neck is medium. Height - 23-25 cm.
- The head is large, the forehead is high. On the head is a luxurious scallop.
- Mild beak, 1 cm long.
- Feet without feathers. Color is bright red.
The breed was originally called "German". When the "monks" spread throughout Russia, they received a second name - "cross". This is due to the flight of birds - when they open their wings, from below you can see the cross on them.
The breed was originally bred as a race, but their unusual appearance overshadowed their racing abilities. However, the "monks" can easily be used for its original purpose - to frighten the birds hiding in the trees.
Features and advantages of "monks":
- friendly and contact;
- obedient and accurate;
- unpretentious;
- affectionate.
Old german seagull
These pigeons got their name for their similarity with another beautiful bird - a seagull. This breed comes from Germany. The pigeons originally had a pattern that made them look like wild gulls. Later, after lengthy breeding work, the color of the breed changed, but the name "old gull" remained.
External characteristics:
- The plumage is white.
- The beak is short.
- Small case. Dense and rounded body. Proud posture.
- Plumage - black, blue, red, yellow.
This breed is bred for decorative purposes, but many representatives of the breeds can compete with flying pigeons.
Features of the old German gull:
- exacting to the conditions of detention;
- low viability;
- moody in relation to feed;
- fertile, but can not feed the chicks without the help of a person;
- active and energetic;
- become attached to the owner.
This breed attracts pigeon breeders with the harmony of color and form. The bird is very elegant, looks tender and truly “airy”.
Saxon field
In the appearance of this breed, an attentive pigeon breeder will immediately discern the features of a gray pigeon. And not in vain - in the selection of Saxon field work was used wild blue dove. From the wild ancestor they are distinguished by white paired stripes on the wings and long feathers on their paws. It is the luxurious plumage of the legs that gives this breed an original appearance.
Volzhsky tape
Volga breed is considered one of the most beautiful. They brought her Volga pigeon breeders in the early 20th century. The bird is not only beautiful, but also has an exciting circular flight, it is able to soar in the air for 2-3 hours. It is distinguished by graceful habits and colorful plumage.
The breed has an original appearance - they have a peculiar body structure and bright plumage. External signs:
- proud and confident posture;
- flat crown and nut-shaped head;
- dark eyes with narrow eyelids;
- wide and convex chest;
- short feathered legs;
- plumage - red-brown with white, less often - light brown with white.
Volzhsky tape dove at the age of one year chooses a girlfriend - one for life.
Features of the breed:
- unpretentiousness;
- good flying qualities;
- caring parents.
The main thing that attracts the appearance of this breed is its long feathers on its legs and beautiful plumage. Color areas have clear boundaries. Cherry or yellow - neck, back, chest, tail, nails. And the cheeks, throat, wings, eyebrows, abdomen and legs are white. Volga pigeons look, thanks to a successful combination of colors, elegant and elegant.
My pigeons
Reliably nothing is known about the breed of pigeons. The bird is distinguished by a slender body and original color, because of which they are often called speckled or chintz. Colored feathers are randomly located on the white plumage, which is the main one. They have a strong constitution, a pear-shaped body and short legs.
The bird breeds poorly in captivity, so its number is small. The homeland of speckled pigeons is the south of Crimea. It is assumed that they brought here during the Russian-Turkish war.
Colored feathers, asymmetrically scattered across the white plumage, are red, yellow, blue, black. Other advantages of the breed:
- perfectly orientated in space;
- friendly and obedient;
- hardy and unpretentious.
Bohemian swallow
The bohemian space-footed swallow was bred in the Czech Republic. It is distinguished from other pigeons by its special chess color of wings and large feathers on its legs. Birds can have white-black or white-brown plumage. In addition to the unusual pattern on the wings, there is another distinguishing feature - a cockade on the head.
The bird owes its name to its extraordinary beauty - when it was brought from the Czech Republic, Russian pigeon breeders gave it the name “magic swallow” - for its special outward appeal.
Chinese gull
The breed is very popular with pigeon breeders. They were brought to Europe from Africa as early as the 19th century. It is not clear why their name is Chinese - it is believed that a Frenchman, a bird dealer, so called them. It has a rich color of plumage, excellent fly, prolific and completely unpretentious. They look luxurious, thanks to beautiful shades - the bird can be white, golden, gray, red, with a different combination of colors.
The bird has a wide stocky body with a dense plumage. She has a round head, a short neck, and a developed chest - convex and round. Feet without feathers, short.
Jacobins
These amazing birds come from India. Their ancestors are Indian bald-headed thurman and capuchins. In Europe, they were in the 16th century. The second homeland is England. The main distinguishing feature and decoration is the original feather collar, which surrounds the head and covers the neck.
Appearance Features:
- slender to become and a long neck;
- long tail;
- short legs;
- plumage - different colors.
There are individuals with golden feathers, with a monk pattern, speckled. The Jacobins fly slowly - a large head interferes with speed. But they are productive and excellent parents.
Peacock
It is not known exactly where these amazing pigeons came from. But there is an assumption that they come from India. These birds are not adapted for long flights, but they are surprisingly beautiful and graceful. They are neat and elegant, behave importantly and nobly. Most of the time they move on the ground, spreading their tail feathers wide - for this feature they were called peacock.
Peacock pigeons have a small head and large dark eyes. The beak is small, solid or reddish. Paws are red. The plumage is different - yellow-white to gray-blue. The most unusual and attractive feature of peacock pigeons is its luxurious tail, which is all the more chic with more feathers.
Sharp-crested stone
This pigeon has an unusual appearance. It seems that he simultaneously mixed the features of several birds at once. With its colorful brownish plumage and small body, it resembles a partridge, with red skin around the eyes - a pheasant. But the most surprising external sign is a long perky crest.
This breed has short legs and a chubby, rounded trunk. The plumage is hard but smooth. Due to the features of the plumage, the bird can fly at a very low speed.
This little pigeon settles in inaccessible places. His homeland is Australia. The bird is characterized by unprecedented endurance - it can spend long hours in the heat, searching for food.
Golden motley
This unusual bird (pigeon family) lives on the islands of the Pacific Ocean. It looks very elegant. Her plumage, shimmering in the sun, casts a golden sheen. The bird, having a limited habitat, eats fruits, berries and insects. Females, unlike males, have a greenish plumage. The length of this tropical bird is about 20 cm.
The main feature of the golden motley dove is feathers. They look so stylish and unusual, as if the bird had done styling in a hairdresser. This type of plumage is associated with an unusual structure of feathers - it is close to the structure of the hair. This elegant bird has turquoise paws, and the skin around the eyes and beak, painted in the same color, harmoniously complement the image of this small but bright bird.
Maned
The second name of the bird is the Nicobar pigeon. It has an unusual appearance - like a fabulous phoenix, bright and mysterious. This beautiful representative of the pigeon family lives on the tiny islands of the Indian Ocean.
This island bird has almost no enemies in its isolated biospace. A maned pigeon is difficult to climb - it weighs about 600 g, its length is about 40 cm, and he absolutely does not like to fly.
The peculiarity of the maned pigeon is a unique plumage of the neck, sparkling with azure and emeralds. “Necklace” resembles a luxurious color mantle. In the sun, the feathers of a maned pigeon shimmer in different colors. Without the sun, the color is muffled, the bird becomes more modest and everyday.
Fan-shaped crowned pigeon
Looking at this fabulous bird, you immediately recall the birds of paradise and peacocks. This representative of the pigeon family lives in New Guinea. The bird is large and looks like a pheasant not only in appearance - it also does not like to fly, preferring to move on foot. She can take off except at the time of threat. The weight of the bird is about 2.5 kg.
The main thing that attracts the eye in this bird and makes it irresistible is an unusually beautiful crest. This is a real “crown” - airy and light. Another highlight is the color. The plumage of this bird is blue and slate-blue.
Mottled
The breed has about fifty motley relatives, each of which has an unusual plumage. All varieties of motley pigeons are very fond of fruits. This bird lives in Southeast Asia - in Sumatra, Java and Bali. Wild dove prefers life on trees - it lands on the ground in exceptional cases.
The bird is distinguished by an unusual, purple-pink color of the neck, head and chest. Their plumage is dominated by pink, olive and dark green.
The rest of the body has a modest gray plumage, on which purple looks especially bright. The length of the birds is 18 cm, which is much less than the usual gray pigeon - it reaches 36 cm in length. The legs are red, the beak is green-yellow.
Marian motley
The second name of the pigeons is fruit. They live on the islands of the Mariana archipelago. Differ in bright plumage. There is a pink spot on the head, the chest is blue, the belly is purple-orange, the wings are green. This bird, among fifty species of motley pigeons, is the most ardent and beautiful. Length - 20-24 cm. A bird lives on trees, eating juicy fruits.
Mottled pink
This exotic bird lives in Southeast Asia. The dove has an interesting color - it has a bright pink face, and the nape is dark green. The wings and tail are also green. Near the eyes are white circles. Eye color - red-brown. The throat is black and brown, and the chest and stomach are white. The beak is yellow. The bottom of the tail is red-brown. Unusual plumage - bright and colorful, makes this Asian pigeon unusually beautiful.
Features of the pink-headed pigeon:
- Almost does not breed in captivity, so in Europe it is a rarity. They were first brought here in 1870, but the birds have never brought offspring.
- Both female and male hatched eggs take turns.
- Only fruits and berries are eaten.
Little is known about the life of this bird - the bird has not been studied enough.
African green
It lives in the subtropics of Africa - south of the Sahara. The plumage of a bird serves as an excellent disguise. The color of the pigeon is green, the shade is olive and yellowish.
If an African pigeon is kept in captivity, then over time the pigment of feathers is destroyed, the bird acquires a gray or yellowish color.
Pigeon breeding with the development of civilization is losing ground, but thanks to enthusiasts, this industry continues to develop. Decorative pigeons stand a separate line in pigeon breeding, they are kept mainly for the sake of amazing beauty - flying qualities are relegated to the background.
Posted by
12
Russia. City Novosibirsk
Publications: 276 Comments: 1