Wild and domestic pigeons

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Pigeons were tamed by humans over 5,000 years ago, but many species still live in the wild today. There are extinct, including human fault, species. All that remains of them are standards and descriptions, at best, drawings or photographs. In this material we will tell you about the features of wild and domestic pigeons, their way of life, species and breeds that breeders have created.

Pigeons

Pigeon description

There are more than 280 species of pigeons. Some live in the wild, others are tamed. Several species have become extinct today. How many chromosomes does a pigeon have? All members of the family have 16 chromosomes, many interbreed with each other and give fertile offspring.

All pigeons belong to the pigeon family, which consists of 4 subfamilies:

• dentate-billed (1 genus and 1 species);
• fruit-eating (6 genera and 113 species);
• crowned (1 genus and 3 species);
• true pigeons (16 genera and 163 species).

In addition, there was a family to which the extinct giant Dodo belonged, which consisted of 3 species. Dodo lived on the island of Mauritius and were completely destroyed by the colonialists 300-400 years ago.

All races and varieties of pigeons have similar features. Their description looks something like this:

• The pigeon's head is small, on a short neck.
• The small beak is slightly elongated and thickened in front. From above it is covered with scales, the wax over the beak is soft, the color is in harmony with the color of the feathers.
• At the very base of the beak, 2 open slits of the nostrils are visible.
• The eyes are large, with a good view, the third eyelid is developed in the pigeon, the eyesight is very sharp, the irises of different colors.
• Feathers cover the ears, pigeons have excellent hearing, they are able to hear ultrasound and infrasound.
• The body is small, compact, weighing from 200 g to 650 g, some species can reach a weight of 900 g. Males are larger than females.
• The wingspan is 20-27 cm.
• The paws are short, have 4 toes, a shade from gray to pink.
• The feathers are of a rigid structure, fit tightly to the body, the down is well developed. This species of bird does not have coccygeal glands, which secrete lubricant for plumage. The feathers are protected by the powder that forms when they are erased.
• The tail has a rounded shape, the outer tail feathers are shorter than the middle ones.
• The plumage color of pigeons is very diverse. In the temperate zone, they are light gray, dark gray, black or brown, in the tropics the feathers are brighter, green, blue, red. The outer plumage is always darker than the down.
• The shade of eggs is gray, with specks, may depend on the plumage and species

This species has a low voice, the sound that birds make is called cooing. They sleep with their heads under their wing. The flight speed of pigeons is high, from 60 km / h to 140 km / h. They are perfectly oriented on the terrain. It is not without reason that birds have been used as postmen since ancient times.

Lifestyle and habitat

Pigeons inhabit almost the entire territory of the globe. The bird does not live only in Antarctica and the Arctic zone of the northern hemisphere. Many species live in the city or near agricultural land. There are species that live in forests or mountains, away from or near humans. These include Ribbon pigeons, Ochakovskie pigeons or Murye pigeons.

Winged birds hibernate in the same place where they breed. In the northern regions, birds sometimes migrate south, which is never observed in the tropics, because there is no need for wintering.

What does a pigeon eat in the wild? The basis of the diet of this species is plant food. Pigeons love cereals (oats, wheat grain, barley, grass seeds), sunflower seeds, corn, birch buds, acorns. Also, many species eat berries and other juicy fruits. In the city, they often look for food in garbage cans, pick up crumbs from the sidewalks. Fly, worm, ladybug and other animals are eaten by accident, but such "additives" are important for the intake of animal proteins.

When pigeons drink, they do not throw their heads back like other birds. The beak is designed so that the pigeon can draw in liquid with it, as if through a tube. The need for drinking in this species is high. The basis of his diet is wheat and other dry grains that they find on the ground. In water, they swell and over-etch faster.

How long do pigeons live in the city and in the wild? Their lifespan is 3-5 years. Natural enemies very often become the cause of death. In urban settings, these are stray cats, dogs, crows and magpies, as well as humans. In the forest, lynxes, foxes, weasels, ferrets, birds of prey hunt for birds, although the pigeon soars in flight. Often, pigeons suffer from diseases that can even cause epidemics. Sick birds are carriers of dangerous pathogens.

Breeding pigeons

Reproduction of pigeons, especially in the wild, is intense. Winged birds are capable of laying eggs 4 to 8 times per season. In temperate zones courtship and mating takes place from March to October, in the tropics all year round.

Pigeons are monogamous birds, they often mate for life, even if the dominant male knocks off the female from the weaker one, she is able to return to her former partner.

During courtship, the male actively cooes, attracts the female by dancing. When she reciprocates him, carefully guards, drives away to a safe place when other males are encroached on. You can often see how doves communicate, kiss, try to drink and feed each other from their beaks. Steaming takes place in a secluded place several times a day. Birds in a flock often fight among themselves, but no matter who of the couple is offended, the second partner immediately runs to the rescue.

The nest is built by both parents using their own feathers and materials at hand. In the city, to build a nest, birds often choose attics of houses, abandoned buildings. In the forest - hollows of trees, dense bushes. The bird never shits near the nest. The female lays 2 to 3 eggs 12 hours apart. Pigeon and dove hatch offspring in turn. When sitting, watch carefully so that the testicles do not fall out. The incubation period for eggs lasts 16-19 days, each chick hatches 24-36 hours apart.

When the incubation ends, blind pigeons are born with thin gray plumage, they must be well looked after. The hatched newborn chick does not know how to eat at all and can hardly move independently, can easily freeze.

In the first 7-10 days, the parents feed the offspring with a white secret, the gruel is formed in the goiter in both the male and the female. The white secret is sometimes called "bird's milk". Only from the second week the pigeon cub begins to eat small grains little by little.

Chicks do not grow very quickly, they slowly gain weight. They begin to fly out of the nest and fly independently at the age of 30-45 days.

Types of wild pigeons

As mentioned above, the columba pigeon has about 300 varieties, each of which is unique and has its own standards. It is impossible to list all types here, therefore we will name only the most common:

• Dove;
• Forest pigeon (wood pigeon and klintukh);
• Rocky dove;
• Turtle Dove (ordinary, short-tailed, small, Siberian, ringed);
• Brown, gray and white-breasted pigeons.

Some species are widespread, even fishing is allowed, since flocks can harm agriculture, fill the streets of cities, which threatens the outbreak of epidemics. Such methods are justified when fighting birds benefits humans and does not threaten the species extinction. For hunting, a decoy, a snare, a trap, and a shotgun are used. The meat of these birds is now rarely consumed, mainly hunting is sanitary or sports.

There are species that are listed in the Red Book. These are mostly forest or rocky pigeons that live away from human habitation. Often, the decline in numbers is associated with the destruction of the habitat by economic activities. A striking example of the destruction of the species is the completely extinct American wandering pigeon, which at the beginning of the last century was massively found in the forests of the USA, Canada and Mexico. The maned wild pigeon that lives in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is under threat.

Domestic pigeons

About 5,000 years ago, the pigeon was domesticated in the Middle East. The birds were eaten and raised as ornamental. Merchants and soldiers noticed their amazing ability to navigate in space and always return home, so they began to use pigeons as postmen. Now the pigeon is a fairly popular poultry, although its golden age has already passed. The behavior of domestic birds is similar to that of wild birds.

Conditions of detention

Growing pigeons at home does not present any particular difficulties, you don't really need to take care of the winged ones. You can equip a house in the attic, in the yard or near the wall of the house. Inside the dovecote, perches from square sheets or special racks of shelves for nesting are arranged. Dovecote walls are best made of wood or brick. The area of ​​the windows for departure should be at least 20 × 20 cm. In the cold, birds rarely freeze, but it will not hurt to insulate the winter houses.

It is advisable to make an aviary near the dovecote, where the birds can safely go out for a walk. You can put a container with wood ash in the aviary, where pets can bathe their feathers. They molt once a year, then the feathers can be slightly plucked. Rooms where birds are kept must be clean. This largely determines how long domestic pigeons live, whether they will have a healthy appearance.

Feeding

Pigeons are almost the only poultry that have retained the ability to fly. They can easily get their own food on their own.

You can feed the birds with any kind of grain. Only rye, oats and brown rice are provided in limited quantities. Seeds for pigeons, acorns are well suited, you can sometimes feed them berries, mixed vegetables, bread crumbs, green food. In winter, feed should be given more, since it is difficult to find them on the street. Also, the diet includes mineral water and vitamin supplements, feed the birds with salt.

Be sure to put a container of water in the dovecote, and not just the feeders: pets drink a lot.

Breeding

How are pigeons born at home? There is no fundamental difference between tamed and wild birds. Domestic pigeons should be parted in accordance with the breed. Breeding them is not always easy, since this species is capricious in choosing a pair. If the male and female do not like each other, courtship and mating will not happen, they do not lay eggs and do not give birth to chicks, therefore it is so important to learn everything about pigeons before starting to breed them.

How long does a pigeon live at home? Unlike wild birds, this bird has a longer lifespan. On average, winged representatives live at home for 15 years, less often - 20.

Diseases of pigeons

Improper care and maintenance can lead to disease in birds. Often, infections and even epidemics among poultry are caused by microbes, which are carried by street doves. Most often, pigeons can pick up such diseases:

• twist, or twist;
• psittacosis;
• bird flu;
• paramyxovirus infection;
• paratyphoid;
• trichomoniasis;
• smallpox;
• coccidosis;
• tuberculosis;
• thrush;
• arthritis;
• bloating;
• various parasites: helminthiases, lice, feather eaters, fleas, etc.

The symptoms of many diseases are similar. The pigeons are ruffled, lose activity, appetite, burp, they vomit, the temperature rises, festering eyes, runny nose, snot appear, birds sneeze, they bow their heads down, sometimes the pigeon limps, breathes heavily.

When infected with skin parasites, pigeons itch. To make a correct diagnosis, it is best to send the pigeon to the veterinarian. Birds die without timely assistance.

The main method of prevention and protection is vaccination. The first injection is given to chicks before flying at about 30 days of age.

It is necessary to vaccinate birds annually. Pigeons can become infected from their street counterparts, so this rule cannot be ignored. In addition, the infection is transmitted to humans through the air and with dirty hands. To remove parasites, it is necessary to carry out worming from time to time. What exactly to glide through, the veterinarian will advise.

It is also important to know what pigeons can eat and what not, how to solder them. It is desirable to keep the cells clean.

Domestic pigeon breeds

Long-term breeding and inbreeding of domestic pigeons have made it possible to create more than a hundred breeds and develop their standards. They all descended from the cisar, which can be found everywhere on city streets, in parks and squares. Some have existed for several centuries, others have emerged quite recently.

Conventionally, all flight pigeons are divided into several groups:

• postage (sports);
• flight;
• high-flying;
• racing;
• roll;
• battle;
• decorative;
• meat.

At first, birds of this species were bred for meat, then they became postal and decorative. In the courtyards of the Asian and European nobles had their own huge dovecote. The flying qualities and beauty of poultry are now most appreciated.

Carrier pigeons

Carrier pigeons have regularly served for many centuries, transmitting news to the addressee, wherever they are. They were used until the end of World War II. In the armies of all the belligerents, these birds were kept, which often played the role of spies, carried out aerial photography. Now they have lost their relevance.

Postmen were transferred to the category of sports. Post breeds are considered the most expensive, as it takes a lot of effort to select and train birds.

The most famous sports breeds today:

• Belgian carrier pigeons;
• English quarry;
• English dragon;
• German carrier pigeons;
• Russian postage.

Trained carrier pigeons are able to fly hundreds of kilometers, developing high speed, and return to their home. How do they know where to fly? How do birds orient themselves in space? There are several versions. Some believe that the eyes are the main sense organ of the winged; sharp vision helps to navigate. Others argue that infrasounds or the earth's magnetic field help pigeons. Which version is correct is not known for certain.

In order to raise a champion, you need to know how to choose the mail carrier pigeons. They are guided not only by the breed, but also by the quality of a particular individual, they must carry out a test run. The Belgians are considered the best postmen, but among other varieties there are amazing examples.

Flying pigeons

One of the main directions of modern pigeon breeding is the education of flying qualities in birds. The blue flight is very beautiful, you can admire it for hours. Some rocks can fly to such a height that they can only be seen from the ground with an optical instrument. Others are valued for the flapping of their wings and the sounds they make at the same time (fighting, sickle). Some birds are able to flip beautifully in the air.

High flying pigeons

These breeds of birds are bred for the sake of flight altitude. Evaluate it in meters or the size of the flyers in the air. Pigeons can lift a bell tower, a lark, a sparrow, a butterfly, a twinkling dot to a height, or disappear altogether in the sky. High-flying breeds include:

• Perm high-flying;
• Izhevsk;
• Sverdlovsk flyers;
• Budapest and Hungarian pigeons;
• Kazan;
• Volsky flight and Volsky turmans;
• Persians, or Persians;
• Odessa;
• Ochakov pigeons;
• Black-headed merchants;
• Doves of the Kama region;
• Nikolaev high-flying end and sickle;
• Mordovian blacks from Mordovia;
• Chistopol or Bugulma flyers;
• Chiliki.

Now it is difficult to find individuals that would really rise to great heights. Breeders are making concessions to consumers. Many people prefer to buy birds that make beautiful figures in the air, flap their wings, and not just go in height. Someone keeps pets in an aviary, does not train, fearing that they will not fly away, although professional poultry farmers still appreciate good flyers. In different countries of the world (in Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, England) competitions are held annually among such pigeons.

Racing pigeons

Breeds that are called gonny are not able to climb to great heights. They rise from the roof of the dovecote if scared away. From here the birds got their name. Their flight is very diverse, pigeons are circling, making figures in the air, hovering at one point. Often, chased breeds fly in flocks, which makes the footage even more beautiful in the sky. Now they are very popular, because many race breeds have been bred in the world. The most famous of them:

• Warsaw chasing pigeons;
• Kamyshinsky;
• Bryansk Ukrainian;
• Moscow chasing pigeons monks;
• Tula hot turmans;
• German chasing pigeons monks;
• Chunky purebreds;
• Budapest medium-billed;
• Arkhangelsk doves bullfinches;
• Tula gonnaya "magpie";
• Ural monks;
• Pigeons are monks of Tula;
• Sickle-inverted Nikolaev;
• Pavlovsk race;
• Crimean circleless, or creams;
• Dubovskie goners, or Kondratieff;
• Chebarkulskie;
• Staroufimsky;
• Khmelnytsky flight;
• Kherson from Verkhny Rogachik;
• Kharkov air flight crews;
• Militopolis serpentine;
• Kursaki;
• Gonny from Konotop and Salsk;
• Kiev light, or fireflies;
• Zhdanovskys;
• Kremenchug;
• Tsaritsyn's wing-winged birds;
• Indian Derish (Indian Derish) or Arabs.

In flight, the angle of the wings is necessarily evaluated. The smaller it is, the better. Another feature of chasing pigeons is the ability to drive other birds into their flock. Often they were used to steal doves from other dovecotes. It remained only to accustom the stolen bird to a new place. The color of the racing pigeons can be any, among them there are black, white, brown, red, multi-colored, gray and even blue birds.

Roller pigeons

Roller pigeons, rollers or spinners, got their name from their ability to turn around in flight around their own axis. Some individuals also know how to make wing clicks. Their flight altitude is low or medium. The ability to spin in the air can be manifested not only in roll breeds, such individuals are found both among the rutting and among the fighting ones. At the same time, not all representatives of vertuns have a characteristic property. Such birds are discarded and not allowed to breed. The most popular breeds of vertoons are:

• Oriental (oriental) roller;
• Birmingham Rollerball;
• Gelati dove flip-flop or roller;
• Ukrainian steppe whirligig;
• Starokazatsky pigeon vertun.

Vertuns are assessed for their ability to maintain altitude while making turns in the air. It is difficult to teach pigeons to fly in this way, genetics are involved, but you can improve the technique in order to fight for the prize. The best examples are quite expensive. The price in catalogs ranges from 700 to 1000 rubles per head.

Slaughter pigeons

Fighting pigeons are so called because they are able to emit specific clicks of their wings, or fractional fight, in flight. They began to breed them in the Middle East and Persia. Most likely, this variety is descended from Turkish and Persian breeds. Now the direction is very popular. The main breeding sites are Turkey, Iran, the Caucasus and the Transcaucasus, some regions of Dagestan, Russia, Ukraine, pigeons have become popular in Germany, in the territory of Azerbaijan, and Stavropol. Poles and Czechs are engaged in their cultivation. Here are the most popular breeds:

• Andijan pigeons, or Andijan;
• Armavir combat cosmachi;
• Afghan (Afghans);
• Azerbaijani sharp-edged Karagez;
• Armenian battle;
• Agasievsky;
• Baku chili doves;
• Berlin dove turman with short beak;
• Battle scythe;
• Damascus;
• Iranian cheeky, chubby and crested;
• Krasnodar pockaty or non-believable;
• Kakhetian warriors or Kakhetians;
• Leninakan battle;
• Black pigeon kara sochi;
• White dove ok sochi;
• Melitopol;
• Polish, or Old Polish;
• Red and white colored ruyanas;
• Russian loggerheads;
• North Caucasian kosmachi;
• Turkish battle;
• Turkish takla;
• Tehran doves;
• Tashkent gulbadams and chimkent;
• Tajik;
• Uzbek Termez or Termez;
• Uzbek avlaks from Jambul.

Fighting birds have very different flight styles. Some soar into the sky directly (with a candle), others first make circles, gain height, and only then begin to somersault and beat their wings in the air. Some individuals can rise very high, to the state of a blinking point. The main quality by which these birds are judged is the quality of the fight, its volume and duration. It is important to constantly train all fighting birds, without this they will lose their shape.

Decorative pigeons

Now pigeons are bred most often for beauty, because decorative breeds began to crowd out others. Even some flying breeds began to be grown for the sake of external characteristics. Decorative birds differ in body shape, posture, color, pattern and type of feathers. The pigeon of the Dutysh variety has a hypertrophied goiter that looks like a ball. Some breeds have a specially developed wax, eyes, there are thorns on their paws. The head is often decorated with forelocks or crests. Some look like other species of birds, such as seagulls, storks, swallows.

Here are the most popular decorative directions:

• In body shape - stately, tall-winged birds, shaped doves.
• Colored pigeons with different shades of plumage, sometimes very exotic (there are red, red, speckled, marble, lilac, black, blue, white and yellow are highly valued).
• "Imitators" looking like swifts, gulls, storks, bullfinches, falcons, swallows, owls, etc.
• Along the length of the beak, they are long-nosed, small-nosed, short-billed, with a thick or curved beak.
• The structure of the plumage is curly and smooth.
• Decorated breeds - bearded, panties, puffers, etc.

Recently, so many decorative breeds have appeared that it is impossible to list them all. This means that this direction is a favorite and very promising. Here are the most popular ones:

• Royal peacock;
• Bernese and Pomeranian blowers;
• Marchenero;
• Uryupinsk stately;
• Rostov stately;
• German Exhibition;
• Syrian folded;
• Uzbek colored ruyanas and gulsars;
• Uzbek shaggy legs and bangs;
• Czech lapwing;
• Chinese seagulls;
• Dvukhuba tasmans;
• Bohemian swallow with shaggy legs;
• Volga ribbon pigeons;
• Rzhev tape;
• Murky pigeons;
• Ivanovskie running gear;
• Curly, or curly-haired doves;
• Krylovskie shaggy;
• A Saxon priest with a tuft and a curved beak;
• Saxon white-tailed;
• German chubby and two chubby drummers;
• Jacobins;
• Barb;
• Sobeit;
• Shaggy Capuchins;
• Agassia or Agasian;
• Akkerman;
• Artamon are variegated;
• Blondes one-color (red, chocolate, black, white, beige, yellow, brown);
• Blondes with scales and striped;
• Bukhara decorative;
• Tokyo White Ghoul;
• Marble chegrashi;
• Shawl doves from the Altai region;
• Kryukov decorative short-billed.

The external structure of the body, feathers are sometimes so original that the bird looks a little like a dove. Even the most exotic birds can envy the colors. Many of these birds fly poorly, often because of a large goiter, huge tail feathers, etc. They are often kept in closed enclosures in the country, in an apartment in cages. Many rare specimens are very expensive to get, they are bound to be bound.

Decorative pigeons are widely used, despite their apparent uselessness. They decorate courtyards, winter gardens and parks. They are released for weddings, the Annunciation, not a single city holiday can do without them. A separate category of decorative birds includes drummers, or torkuts, with an original voice.

Meat pigeons

These breeds appeared the very first. Now pigeons are rarely used for meat. Great demand for them remained only in Britain, Germany and America. In this regard, the American, English and German direction of selection is distinguished.

Meat pigeons are large, have a thick and muscular body with well-developed hips and a broad chest. A real giant weighs up to 1 kg. All breeds are divided into 3 directions:

• Gigantic with a large mass (maximum weight - 900-1000 g), a stocky body, like real pitching.
• Chicken with long legs, a shortened body and a tiny tail.
• Meat of medium weight (about 600 g).

Modena is considered the oldest breed, but there are others:

• Roman meat;
• Kingi;
• Strassers;
• Texans;
• Viennese;
• Polish lynx doves;
• White Maltese;
• Doves from Modena;
• Large Hungarian giants;
• Magnani;
• Sottobank;
• Kurbugsky dove lark;
• Carnot;
• Monten Blanc;
• Spanish pigeon homer;
• Cauchois;
• Benesov dove.

All meat breeds fly poorly, their appearance is not too remarkable. A large bird prefers to walk on the ground. In the countries where they are bred, poultry meat is considered a delicacy and is very expensive, so the business is quite profitable. In Russia, the popularity of such breeds is low, since there is no tradition of eating pigeon meat.

Now it is difficult to find and mate pure breeds of any direction. Often amateurs undertake breeding - mestizos change their color, body shape, quality of flight. To get a good pigeon, you need to check how buyers trust the breeder, what kind of farm he has. It is best to look for pedigree pigeons in the regions from which they come. For example, Poltava - in Poltava, Nikolaev - in the city of Nikolaev, Polish - in Poland.