I have spent a lot of time doing searches. these birds are beautiful.... i have been into the plain ones ,into fancy. they are beautiful birds..... I dont think I would have been that interested if it hadnt been got arty and his babes and the people with whom he interacts with when there are babies around.

i now watch the pigeons with great interest across from me on roof tops. etc.

here is one of the fancy ones I found and I just love it. its beautiful.

[IMG][/IMG]

enjoy

WOW!!!! I wonder where all these gorgeous babies fly free! I love to see the ferel pigeons in Philly, but Ive never seen anything like this or the other beauties Arty has posted.

I think it would be pretty rare to see any of these "fancies" flying free anywhere, unless one happens to escape or is intentionally abandoned. That makes me wonder.....Hey Arty, do you think there is much cross-breeding going on in the feral world with fancy pigeons? It that where some of the color variations that we see in feral flocks comes from?

I found the above picture while i was searching...... some of the fancies are mostly show birds.......
I read somwhere about feral pigeons near philadelphia. and the notice i came up with was that they have gone underground in an old mine./ now i havent researched that part but probably will do that this afternoon..........
my intentions were to just let you all know how interested i have become in the pigeons and dove forum....... due to the work being done........

so heres another fancy lolol
[IMG][/IMG]

I think i understood from Arty's posts that only the feral & the racers are homing Pigeons. I think the fancy ones can get lost{?}

The top bird is fabulous. I don't really care for the fan tail version.
I too have been looking at our local flocks more closely. I know that some people have reportedly been raising them on their balconies on purpose - for food or racing. This could be an urban legend tho - but abandoned balconies are prime Real Estate for many birds around here. There are quite a few coloured ones among the feral bared Pigeons but nothing too fancy - check out ARty's link to the coloures of Pigeons or do a search - i was reading one recently. Today I saw a funny one. It's head & parts of its body were dun/beige coloured - almost like it was part Morning Dove.

Thank you kindly for your interests in the bird of peace, they trully are wonders.
Fancy pigeons are extremely rare in the wild, most are banded and when found they are returned, most fancy pigeons simply don't fly that well, surely not fast enough to elude preditors, My Dunn Lahore is a very large bird, when she takes fight you can hear it quite aways away...she isn't bred for flight, she was bred for her beauty.
All Fancy Pigeons are show birds dreaming of the BLUE RIBBON.
Fancy Pigeons don't have the Homing capabilities
The bird you have pictured first is a OldDutchCapuchine, the second is a Fantail.
Thank you very much for visiting and contributing to the Dove & Pigeon forum here on ParrotChatter.

OldDutchCapuchineBlack

The Helmet Pigeon

Thank YOU Arty! You have really opened my world to a new interest! I had no idea fancy pigeons were THAT fancy! Im curious how they are actually bred to be that way. I mean, with the new fancy dog and cat breeds you have an idea of what is mixed with what to get a look. But with pigeons, it seems impossible to me to know what would for instance give such a beautiful collar that looks like mink! These fancies look like mature rich woman that come from old money, if ya know what I mean!

, I know exactly what you mean....
How they cross this and that to end up with this eludes me, but then I am not a breeder...
Some birds are Sad however, the Tumbler is one, this bird has been genetically altered never to fly again, but TUMBLE on the ground when one claps there hands and or the bird is startled, to me this is an outrage.
Then there is a the Roller, these birds roll as they fly, some crash into the ground when its time to land, many...and I mean many become injured.
When they fly, they are by all means acrobats, very eye catching...
But again, if the bird becomes injured by the genetic alterations I am against it...big time....

& Nate, The fancy pigeon is very rare in the wild, this doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but they will breed with other's...Rare...very rare..

You sure do know your stuff Arty! Im happy to know you!