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We, as the pioneer initiator, would like to preach the knowledge of fancy pigeons to the young entrepreneurs or the young fanciers. With the linkage to this view the following are some important information regarding the various species of fancy pigeons around the world.
American Fantail
The American Fantail first arrived in North America in the mid 1850's. Origin being from Asia.
The NPA description: The modern Fantail is best described as a softball with wings, legs, and a massive flat, circular, slightly concave tail that is carried well up, with no inclination to recline. The tail consists of 30 to 38 feathers. The legs of the Fantail are it's foundation, being well set forward, following the graceful curvature of the chest and set wide on the body to enhance it's action and stance. This breed has been described as a "bundle of energy," always moving and showing it's tiny delicate head tucked snugly in the vertex of it's rounded chest and large flat tail. There should be a constant back and forth movement of the neck, and the bird should stand on tiptoe and walk elegantly.
Color and Markings: They are bred in more than fifty colors and marking patterns including selfs; saddles that are all white birds with colored wing shields, and tailmarks, which are all white birds with colored tails.
General: Fantails are both docile and friendly. They are easy to raise and make a wonderful addition to any loft.
Indian Fantail
The NPA description: The Indian Fantail is a medium sized bird. The standard gives advantage to the large bird when all else is equal. A natural stylishness is important. No dancing, shaking, or rearing up in front is desired. The body carriage should give an impression of levelness. The tail should be carried upright at a slight angle, or tilt away from the front of the bird. The tail should be saucer shaped, large, full, round, and making nearly a complete circle. The feathers should be long enough to reach well above the top of the head. The flights should be carried under the tail, but should not drag on the ground. The head and neck should be perpendicular to the ground. The eyes should be directly above the tips of the toes for correct station. The base of the crest should be on a direct line with the eyes and beak settings, muffs are to be full feathered and long enough, with hock feathers to match, to provide an overall balanced appearance.
Color and Markings: The Indian Fantail can be seen in many colors, including the genetic factors and modifiers that provide basic color variations. In solid selfs, white, black, red, and almond are common, while dun and yellow are less often seen. In pattern selfs, T- pattern, check and bar are all prevalent in ash red and blue and occasionally brown; barless is present, but rare. The present recognized markings are saddle, bodymark, tailmark, and ribbontail. Currently, new colors and markings are being developed such as monkmark, baldhead and whiteside.
General: A basic appeal of this proud and prolific pigeon with the larg tail is it's disposition. It is quiet, not easily excited, and comfortable with other breeds.
Mookee
Origin: An ancient breed from India. Some verification exists that in 1941 Karl Koch, an employee of the San Diego (CA) Zoological Gardens, brought the first Mookees into the United States.
Description: This bold and jaunty pigeon is of a medium size and, depending on the sex of the individual bird, weights between 12 to 14 ounches. When viewed from above, the body has a somewhat slender appearance, but the breast should be well rounded. The body should be carried upright so that the back slants downward at an angle of between 35 to 45 degrees, and the tail must not touch the ground. A long "S" shaped full neck is called for, and it should "zitter" or shake back and forth, not unlike that of a Fantail. And like the Fantail, the Mookee should walk on it's toes. A well-formed peak crest that rises above the well-defined arched mane is called for.
Color and Markings: This breed can be seen in many colors, including but not limited to black, red, blue barred, blue checked, and brown. Birds can either be "marked" or self-colored. The former has a white head with the dividing line between it and the colored body extending from the point where the upper and lower mandible meet, and extend back, passing and touching beneath the eye cere stopping at the base of the peak crest. Ideally marked birds should have two white flights on each wing. Self colored birds (that also include whites) receive no marking points when being judged.
The Helmet Pigeon
Origin: Modern Helmet varieties appear to have origins in Germany from the late 19th to early 20th century. The Helmet, as we know it today, was refined in the United States in the latter half of the 20th century.
Description: The Helmet is a medium to small, jaunty, tumbler- like pigeon with a peppy, active personality. It is characterized a=by a white body with a colored tail and colored cap on top of the head resembling a "helmet". They are bred in both a medium and short-faced variety, with the short face being smaller in size. Both varieties can be either crested or plainheaded. The head is medium in size, with broad frontal, showing no indication of flatness. The frontal rises sharply from the wattle with a well-defined curve, rising to a full top skull. The neck is medium length, fairly stout, with a "bluish" appearance. The mane extends backward from the rosette area (on crested varieties), blending with and supporting the crest while flowing smoothly down the neck with no breaks to the point where it joins the body. The body is medium sized (small sized on the short face varieties) with a cobby appearance. The tail is proportioned and present an evenly balanced appearance in all respects. They are sprightly in manner and stand erect, appearing to try to thrust their chest upward. Helmets can be found in crested varieties, the crest is shell-shaped and prominent. It stands well above the head and is thick and full. It reaches from ear to ear showing no breaks along it's edge and ends in completely formed rosettes.
Color and Markings: The head and tail are colored, with the rest of the bird being white. The color of the head and tail is as close to the same color as possible. Recognized color classes are: black, blue, recessive red, ash red and their respective dilutes; dun, silver, yellow, ash yellow, and AOC.
General: When on show, the Helmet gives the viewer a zestful impression of a bird with vigor and enthusiasm.
Lahore Pigeon
Origin: Presumably India, although the breed is named after the city of Lahore, which is now Pakistan. Early English writers suggest that the Lahore was probably a sub variety of the Sherajee. Some late 1800's drawings show a bird of Lahore likeness being called Sherajee. Europe seems to be where these birds of beauty became known as Lahores. Early on, the markings were somewhat different, expecially on the head. As late as the 1920's, two head markings were allowed in America. Currently, the show standards regarding markings have somewhat stardardized. The most noticeable dofference between the American and European standard is in station, head, and neck size.
Description: The American standard calls for an erect, bold and proud appearance of the bird with back line at about 35 to 45 degrees. The approved Standard of Perfection calls for the head to be large and as broad as possible, with frontal and a well-developed back skull and neck to be full and powerful. The body is slightly larger than at medium size bird, measuring about 10 1/2 inches high and about 11 1/2 inches long. The most outstanding characteristic that sets this breed apart from other pigeons is it's beautiful, bold, clear-cut markings.
Color: Red, yellow, black and lavender have long been the major colors with an occasional blue bar, silver bar, ash red bar or cream bar. Lavenders are probably the most noted color associated with the Lahore. The addition of brown and related colors around the 1970's, both from the Modena and Mondain, brought a whole new look to the Lahore. A few years later, a greater interest in bars and checks helped improve these colors and grizzle was also added. Other colors have been added such as toy stencil, indigo and andalusion. Other colors such as almond are currently in the development stage.
General: Lahore breeders everywhere seem to be a very likable group, eager to welcome new breeders. Lahores are a great breed for the beginner, as they are a gentle breed and are easy to raise. The most experienced fancier will find their eye-catching markings are as great a challenge as they have faced in any breed. There are a wide variety of colors to select from. Lahore breedrs always seem to be delighted when a new color makes it to the show room.
The Lahore as a feathered "Beanie Baby". They like to hunker down and rest, unlike most pigeons who will stand on one leg.
Old Dutch Capuchine
Origin: This pigeon breed has been known for no less than 500 years. Brought to Holland from India by Dutch Sailors in the 1500s, the breed was refined into a show pigeon by Dutch breeders. Thought to be extinct, a colony was discovered in the 1950s in Holland. Imported into the United States in the 1960s, the Old Dutch Capuchine has enjoyed relative popularity as a rare breed.
Description: The Capuchine has a jaunty, horizontal station, which forms an "L" shape between the neck and the tail. The ornaments consist of a well developed shell crest (hood), large rosettes on each side of the neck just above the wing butts, a full mane of feathers running down the back of the neck from the top of the hood to the body, and finally, a chin of feathers flowing down either side of the front of the neck and forming the front portion of the rosettes. The neck is medium long, as are the legs. The eye is impure pearl, showing a slight reddish tint and is surrounded by a bright red eye cere. (Due to its linkage with the almond gene, almond Capuchines may have slightly cracked eyes.) The head is medium wide with a somewhat developed frontal. The medium-sized body is well developed and wedge- shaped.
Color and Markings: Capuchines are bred in monk markings with the solitary exception being white selfs. Even in tigered varieties, the monk marking should be discernible. The head is white until half to three-quarters of an inch below the beak. Also white are 7 to 12 primary flights, the tail, and the underbelly. Old Dutch Capuchines are found in a wide variety of colors such as red, yellow, black, dun, tigered, barred in blue, silver, mealy, and cream, self white and some of the rarer colors like almond, andalusion, dominant opal, reduced, toy stencil, and brown. Although not technically a Color Pigeon, Capuchines must have excellent color. Deep reds and yellows and rich iridescent blacks are common within the breed. The barred colors are currently less developed, though increasing in quality.
General: Old Dutch Capuchines breed well and can easily raise their own young. One of the main goals of North American breeders is to retain the breed as it is found in Europe.
