Endurance flyer flown in kits of three for very long times (record over 20 h). Small body, long wing, often mottle or kite.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Climbs high, then dives in a spinning spiral back to the loft.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Local Van breed with vertical spinning dive.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Butterfly-like flight with wing-clapping and tumbling.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Flies high then performs series of backward somersaults; many muffed or crested.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
High flyer with occasional roll-over.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Soaring/hovering endurance flyer, 8-12 h; round head, plain or crested, many colours.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Iranian highflyer line from Kashan, often white with coloured tail/head.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Judged on wing-clap, flutter and aerial tumbling; reds highly prized in Iraq and the Gulf.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Pakistani endurance highflyer flown for hours in competition (up to ~15 h); small body, long wing.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Leading Pakistani highflyer, often white or white with coloured tail.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Pakistani endurance flyer often crossed with Teddy and Sialkoti.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Name used for a Pakistani highflyer line; no formal standard found.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Indo-Pakistani fancy/flying type with white markings; local descriptions vary.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Indian endurance flyer, often pearl-eyed.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Hovering, wing-clapping flyer with long head and beak; source of the German 'Stipper' (almond) name.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
High flyer, often red or mottle.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Endurance flyer, usually shell-crested.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Climbs vertically with fluttering wings, no circling.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Long-headed highflyer, often with marked head.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Endurance tumbler, sometimes crested/muffed.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Fleet flyer known in Turkey as Irjani or Lebanon pigeon.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Diving/flying type from Adana, locally Töme and Tartaç.
Care: Traditional flying/diving breed flown daily in flocks; usual flyer care.
Dewlap of skin under the beak with beard feathers; also called Syrian dewlap.
Care: Traditional flying/diving breed flown daily in flocks; usual flyer care.
Turkish diver type attributed to Egypt.
Care: Traditional flying/diving breed flown daily in flocks; usual flyer care.
Festive fleet-flying type.
Care: Traditional flying/diving breed flown daily in flocks; usual flyer care.
Very loft-loyal breed from Denizli.
Care: Traditional flying/diving breed flown daily in flocks; usual flyer care.
Very long wings and tail, short beak; flown in flocks; flying type 1-2 inches shorter than the show type.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Andalusian colour with faded platinum neck, short-medium beak.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Bronze and yellow iridescent neck, short slender beak.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Blue body with or without bars, white tail, thin beak.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Rich red (or yellow – 'Halabi asfar') with white tail and thick beak.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Solid black with white tail, thin beak.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Black with white tail and flights, stout beak, upright stance; reputed among the strongest Egyptian pigeons.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Head resembling the African owl but smaller, long sloping body; many sub-types (sukkari, azazi...).
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Self black or black with white flights, short strong blunt beak.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Deep rich recessive red.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
White body with coloured shields and cheeks (indigo, blue, yellow, black, red); long dark beak, white nails.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Paper-pale yellow (usually recessive yellow).
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Light or dark checkered; Mahallawi and Saboni sub-types.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Pied with white blaze down the centre of the head.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Arab name for swift types in pied colours (green, violet, red, yellow), Qaranfali, Qatqati, Marudi.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Umbrella name for Egyptian flock-flying 'ghiya' swifts: short beak, owl-like face, bare legs.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Levantine swift from Aleppo and Damascus, Syrian and Lebanese varieties.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Reel-type roller that flies 3-4 hours.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Flock-type tumbler from Malatya.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Small compact bird with short neck and legs; tumbles in the air for up to ~30 minutes; blue, black, red or yellow with white.
Care: Flown regularly in kits; feed control keeps the roll in check. Cull birds that roll down or cannot rise.
Cherry-round head, tiny beak, small upright body; needs feeder pairs.
Care: Short-faced types often need feeder (foster) pairs; keep nails trimmed, protect the eyes, light flying or show only.
Long smooth head, thin beak, upright stance; clean-legged and muffed varieties.
Care: Short-faced types often need feeder (foster) pairs; keep nails trimmed, protect the eyes, light flying or show only.
Long muffs, low carriage, tail near the ground.
Care: Short-faced types often need feeder (foster) pairs; keep nails trimmed, protect the eyes, light flying or show only.
Short beak, pearl eye, very upright stance.
Care: Short-faced types often need feeder (foster) pairs; keep nails trimmed, protect the eyes, light flying or show only.
Cube-shaped head, short beak, pearl eye.
Care: Short-faced types often need feeder (foster) pairs; keep nails trimmed, protect the eyes, light flying or show only.
Round head, short beak, wings carried below the tail.
Care: Short-faced types often need feeder (foster) pairs; keep nails trimmed, protect the eyes, light flying or show only.
Flying/show tumbler, pearl eye, medium beak.
Care: Short-faced types often need feeder (foster) pairs; keep nails trimmed, protect the eyes, light flying or show only.
White body with coloured cap ('helmet') and tail.
Care: Short-faced types often need feeder (foster) pairs; keep nails trimmed, protect the eyes, light flying or show only.
Shell-crested, often with coloured head markings.
Care: Short-faced types often need feeder (foster) pairs; keep nails trimmed, protect the eyes, light flying or show only.
Wing-clapping tumbler.
Care: Short-faced types often need feeder (foster) pairs; keep nails trimmed, protect the eyes, light flying or show only.
Hungarian flying tumbler.
Care: Short-faced types often need feeder (foster) pairs; keep nails trimmed, protect the eyes, light flying or show only.
Egyptian rooftop 'ghiya' flocks mix several local types flown together; colour names vary regionally.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
A family/strain within the racing homer, not a separate standard breed. Janssen brothers; compact, fast sprint-middle distance birds, many ash-reds and blue checks.
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
A family/strain within the racing homer, not a separate standard breed. Piet van Loon; Janssen-based, small-medium, sprint/middle distance.
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
A family/strain within the racing homer, not a separate standard breed. Long-distance strain; larger, deep-bodied, dark checks.
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
A family/strain within the racing homer, not a separate standard breed. Long-distance strain from the Klak family, often blue/blue check.
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
A family/strain within the racing homer, not a separate standard breed. Classic long-distance founding strain behind many modern families.
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
A family/strain within the racing homer, not a separate standard breed. Founder strain known for middle/long distance and good temperament.
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
A family/strain within the racing homer, not a separate standard breed. Classic strain, many in the US (Sion family).
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
A family/strain within the racing homer, not a separate standard breed. Old-line strain, often blue checks; long distance.
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
A family/strain within the racing homer, not a separate standard breed. Gaby Vandenabeele; 'Kleinen' and 'Bliksem' lines, middle distance.
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
A family/strain within the racing homer, not a separate standard breed. Old long-distance strain popular in the US and Middle East.
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
A family/strain within the racing homer, not a separate standard breed. Janssen-related fast middle-distance family.
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
A family/strain within the racing homer, not a separate standard breed. Classic long-distance strain.
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
Exhibition homer: smooth curved head, full balanced body, tight short tail, upright stance.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
Large smooth oval head with beak in line with skull, short full body.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
Long horizontal body, head and beak in one smooth line, low stance.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
Ancestral homer type; broad head, short stout beak.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
Tiny bird with prominent chest and raised tail.
Care: Tall pens, feed that avoids sour/overfull crops, daily handling to train the display.
Short round 'bantam' body, short raised tail; schietti (self) and gazzi patterns.
Care: Special feathering/structure needs very clean, dry housing and suitable perches; usually not free-flown.
Name used for crested, muffed Anatolian/Caucasus pigeons; standards vary.
Care: Daily flying at fixed times, light feed (wheat, millet, barley) to control weight, protect from hawks, never fly on a full crop.
Turkish ornamental breed.
Care: Special feathering/structure needs very clean, dry housing and suitable perches; usually not free-flown.
Trembling neck, white with coloured head.
Care: Special feathering/structure needs very clean, dry housing and suitable perches; usually not free-flown.
Constantly trembles neck and head (Mookee-like); local name, no unified standard.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Small head, broad forehead, medium beak, long-feathered legs, bright colours.
Care: Swifts are flown as a flock ('ghiya') over rooftops; moderate light feed; avoid repeated close inbreeding to keep vigour.
Very tall upright bird with large globular crop, long muffed legs and slim waist.
Care: Tall pens, feed that avoids sour/overfull crops, daily handling to train the display.
Large crop, backward-leaning stance, clean legs, crescent bib markings.
Care: Tall pens, feed that avoids sour/overfull crops, daily handling to train the display.
Miniature of the English pouter with globular crop and long legs.
Care: Tall pens, feed that avoids sour/overfull crops, daily handling to train the display.
Tall, large crop, long muffs.
Care: Tall pens, feed that avoids sour/overfull crops, daily handling to train the display.
Small slim bird, round crop, stands erect on toes, wings crossed below.
Care: Tall pens, feed that avoids sour/overfull crops, daily handling to train the display.
Medium pouter with oval crop, often marked.
Care: Tall pens, feed that avoids sour/overfull crops, daily handling to train the display.
Relatively active pouter, medium crop.
Care: Tall pens, feed that avoids sour/overfull crops, daily handling to train the display.
White with coloured shield and globular crop.
Care: Tall pens, feed that avoids sour/overfull crops, daily handling to train the display.
Shell crest and large crop.
Care: Tall pens, feed that avoids sour/overfull crops, daily handling to train the display.
Spanish 'thief' pouter used to lure other pigeons; arched back, erect.
Care: Tall pens, feed that avoids sour/overfull crops, daily handling to train the display.
Spanish pouter with strongly arched back, low tail.
Care: Tall pens, feed that avoids sour/overfull crops, daily handling to train the display.
White with coloured mantle from above the eye over back and wings; broad chest, light muffs.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
Glossy copper-bronze head and body with black or blue wings, often peak-crested.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
Very pale frosty ice-blue, barred or white-spangled, clean-legged or muffed.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
Coloured with white head, shell crest, muffs.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
White body, coloured wings and cap.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
Heavy muffs, coloured wings on white.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
Black with white breast crescent and white bars.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
White with saturated coloured shield.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
Coloured with white bars or spangles on the shield.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
Icy silver-white with black bars, dark skin and black eye cere.
Care: Special feathering/structure needs very clean, dry housing and suitable perches; usually not free-flown.
White with coloured hood/mantle (Lahore-like pattern), light muffs.
Care: Colour/marking show pigeon; pair for marking quality; normal fancy-pigeon care.
Big round head, very short broad beak in line with skull, breast frill.
Care: Short beaks may need feeder pairs; small-grain mix and deep drinkers.
Round head, short beak, breast frill, full body.
Care: Short beaks may need feeder pairs; small-grain mix and deep drinkers.
Extensive reversed frill and cravat on breast and sides.
Care: Short beaks may need feeder pairs; small-grain mix and deep drinkers.
Shell crest, breast frill, short beak.
Care: Short beaks may need feeder pairs; small-grain mix and deep drinkers.
Muffed, breast frill, short beak; stencil varieties satinette and blondinette.
Care: Short beaks may need feeder pairs; small-grain mix and deep drinkers.
Peak crest, breast frill, white body with coloured shield.
Care: Short beaks may need feeder pairs; small-grain mix and deep drinkers.
White with glossy (lacquer) coloured shield.
Care: Short beaks may need feeder pairs; small-grain mix and deep drinkers.
Small head with dense rear feathering, short broad beak, large round eye, short feathered legs; many colours; resembles African/German owls.
Care: Short beaks may need feeder pairs; small-grain mix and deep drinkers.
Large blocky body, broad chest, short raised tail; leading squab breed.
Care: Large meat breed: roomy floor-level nests, higher protein (peas); squabs marketed at 25-30 days.
White body with coloured head, wings and tail; heavy body.
Care: Large meat breed: roomy floor-level nests, higher protein (peas); squabs marketed at 25-30 days.
Upright utility bird, usually red or yellow.
Care: Large meat breed: roomy floor-level nests, higher protein (peas); squabs marketed at 25-30 days.
Largest breed; huge long body and long tail.
Care: Large meat breed: roomy floor-level nests, higher protein (peas); squabs marketed at 25-30 days.
Heavy short-tailed meat breed; in Egypt often called 'French meat pigeon', mostly white or blue.
Care: Large meat breed: roomy floor-level nests, higher protein (peas); squabs marketed at 25-30 days.
Autosexing meat breed: cocks pale, hens dark (faded allele).
Care: Large meat breed: roomy floor-level nests, higher protein (peas); squabs marketed at 25-30 days.
Large homer-type for squab, short tail, broad chest.
Care: Large meat breed: roomy floor-level nests, higher protein (peas); squabs marketed at 25-30 days.
Huge body, muffed, sometimes crested.
Care: Large meat breed: roomy floor-level nests, higher protein (peas); squabs marketed at 25-30 days.
Tall upright bird with massive beak and eye wattle, long neck.
Care: Large wattle/cere around eyes and beak must be kept clean and checked for injury and infection.
Heavy homer-type with moderate beak wattle and cere.
Care: Large wattle/cere around eyes and beak must be kept clean and checked for injury and infection.
Long strongly decurved beak, arched head, upright body.
Care: Large wattle/cere around eyes and beak must be kept clean and checked for injury and infection.
Name used by Arab fanciers for a large long-beaked wattled type close to the Scandaroon/Bagdette; in Turkey 'Bagdad' is an endangered fleet-flying breed.
Care: Large wattle/cere around eyes and beak must be kept clean and checked for injury and infection.
Broad head, very short thick beak, large round red eye cere.
Care: Large wattle/cere around eyes and beak must be kept clean and checked for injury and infection.
Wide eye cere and short beak.
Care: Large wattle/cere around eyes and beak must be kept clean and checked for injury and infection.
Large nasal rosette, shell crest, very long muffs; rolling drumming voice.
Care: Muffs and crests need clean floors; the drumming voice is judged.
Huge nasal rosette covering the eyes, massive muffs.
Care: Muffs and crests need clean floors; the drumming voice is judged.
Clean legs, shell crest, laughing/drumming voice.
Care: Muffs and crests need clean floors; the drumming voice is judged.
Nasal rosette plus back crest and muffs.
Care: Muffs and crests need clean floors; the drumming voice is judged.
Turkish drumming pigeon with a distinctive call.
Care: Muffs and crests need clean floors; the drumming voice is judged.
Chanting-voice breed.
Care: Muffs and crests need clean floors; the drumming voice is judged.
Rolls backwards rapidly like a spinning ball for several metres, then rejoins the kit; judged on quality, depth and kit synchrony.
Care: Flown regularly in kits; feed control keeps the roll in check. Cull birds that roll down or cannot rise.
Cannot fly; somersaults backwards along the ground, judged by distance.
Care: Flown regularly in kits; feed control keeps the roll in check. Cull birds that roll down or cannot rise.
Long tailed, performs repeated rolls at height.
Care: Flown regularly in kits; feed control keeps the roll in check. Cull birds that roll down or cannot rise.
Romanian long-tailed roller, sometimes shell-crested.
Care: Flown regularly in kits; feed control keeps the roll in check. Cull birds that roll down or cannot rise.
Rolls on the ground when shaken; usually white, shell-crested, dark eyes.
Care: Flown regularly in kits; feed control keeps the roll in check. Cull birds that roll down or cannot rise.
Full feather hood enclosing the head (hood, mane, chain), slim long body.
Care: Special feathering/structure needs very clean, dry housing and suitable perches; usually not free-flown.
Shorter, open hood than the Jacobin.
Care: Special feathering/structure needs very clean, dry housing and suitable perches; usually not free-flown.
Shield and flight coverts curled into ringlets; clean or muffed legs.
Care: Special feathering/structure needs very clean, dry housing and suitable perches; usually not free-flown.
Upright hen-like bird with very long neck and legs, short raised tail.
Care: Special feathering/structure needs very clean, dry housing and suitable perches; usually not free-flown.
Full upright body, short raised tail, coloured markings on white.
Care: Special feathering/structure needs very clean, dry housing and suitable perches; usually not free-flown.
Upright fan tail of 30-40 feathers, prominent chest, head thrown back, trembling.
Care: Large tail needs clean dry floors and low wide perches; weak flyer, protect from cats.
Large fan tail with long muffs and shell crest.
Care: Large tail needs clean dry floors and low wide perches; weak flyer, protect from cats.
Less extreme free-flying fantail.
Care: Large tail needs clean dry floors and low wide perches; weak flyer, protect from cats.
Fantail with silky lace feathering (L gene).
Care: Large tail needs clean dry floors and low wide perches; weak flyer, protect from cats.
Balanced, pear-shaped body, deep keel, supple muscle, strong wing with broad primaries, bright eye. Judged by results.
Care: Feed to distance (carbs before, protein after races), train twice daily, PMV vaccination compulsory, widowhood system common in season.
