Fancy pigeon refers to any breed of

domestic pigeon The domestic pigeon (''Columba livia domestica'' or ''Columba livia'' ''forma'' ''domestica'') is a pigeon subspecies that was derived from the rock dove (also called the rock pigeon). The rock pigeon is the world's oldest domesticated bird. Me ...

, which is a

domesticated Domestication is a sustained multi-generational relationship in which humans assume a significant degree of control over the reproduction and care of another group of organisms to secure a more predictable supply of resources from that group. A ...

form of the wild

rock dove The rock dove, rock pigeon, or common pigeon ( also ; ''Columba livia'') is a member of the bird family Columbidae (doves and pigeons). In common usage, it is often simply referred to as the "pigeon". The domestic pigeon (''Columba livia dom ...

(''Columba livia''). They are bred by pigeon fanciers for various traits relating to size, shape, color, and behavior, and often exhibited at pigeon shows, fairs and other livestock exhibits. There are about 800 pigeon breeds; considering all regional varieties all over the world there may be 1100 breeds. The European list of fancy pigeons alone names about 500 breeds. No other domestic animal has branched out into such a variety of forms and colours.

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended f ...

is known to have crossbred fancy pigeons, particularly the Ice Pigeon, to study variation within species, this work coming three years before his groundbreaking publication, ''

On the Origin of Species ''On the Origin of Species'' (or, more completely, ''On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life''),The book's full original title was ''On the Origin of Species by Me ...

''.

Pigeon showing

Pigeon fanciers from many different countries exhibit their birds at local, inter-state or national shows and compete against one another for prizes. One typical country show in Australia in 2008 had hundreds of pigeons on display and prizes for the winners. In England, the Philoperisteron Society conducted annual shows in the mid 1800s. There were also a London Columbarian Society. The extensive variations in the breeds attracted the attention of

and played a major role in developing ideas on evolution. Some fanciers organize exhibitions exclusively for pigeons; one held in

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre rivers, and is ...

run by the Royal Pigeon Racing Association is annually attended by about 25,000 people and generates around £80,000 profit, which is donated to charity. The largest pigeon show is held in

Nuremberg Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...

: the German National Pigeon Show, which had over 33,500 pigeons at the 2006 show.. In the United States, there are hundreds of local, state and national pigeon clubs that sponsor shows. The largest shows are the National Young Bird Show, held in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...

in October, and the National Pigeon Association's Grand National, held in a different city each year and usually in January.

Major breed families

This grouping system is adapted from ''Australian Fancy Pigeons National Book of Standards''.Seymour, Rev. Colin (Ed)(2006) ''Australian Fancy Pigeons National Book of Standards''. Consideration was given to the new UK standards book which followed the German and European grouping. This version differs slightly from that of th
European grouping
the following system is arbitrary and used solely for organizing breed articles until a grouping can be accepted worldwide.

Asian feather and voice pigeons

This group includes breeds developed for extensive feathering that originated in the Asian region, as well as breeds cultivated for their trumpeting, or laughing, voice. *

Fantail Fantails are small insectivorous songbirds of the genus ''Rhipidura'' in the family Rhipiduridae, native to Australasia, Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Most of the species are about long, specialist aerial feeders, and named as "f ...

* Frillback *

Jacobin , logo = JacobinVignette03.jpg , logo_size = 180px , logo_caption = Seal of the Jacobin Club (1792–1794) , motto = "Live free or die"(french: Vivre libre ou mourir) , successor = P ...

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city ...

Trumpeter The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

* English Trumpeter

Colour pigeons

Most of these pigeons originate in Germany, and are sometimes listed as German Toys. There are many different varieties, with a wide selection of colours and markings. * Archangel pigeon * Danish Suabian * Saxon Field Pigeon *

Starling Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. The Sturnidae are named for the genus '' Sturnus'', which in turn comes from the Latin word for starling, ''sturnus''. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, ...

Swallow The swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae, are a family of passerine songbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. Th ...

* Thuringen Field Pigeon * Ice Pigeon

Frills and Owls

The word "frill" here relates to the reversed feathering on the chest of these varieties. This group is also noted for having short beaks. * Aachen Lacquer Shield Owl * African Owl * Chinese Owl * Italian Owl * Old German Owl * Oriental Frill * Turbit

Homer and Hen Pigeons

Homing pigeons

This group includes breeds originally developed for their homing ability, and includes show-type racing pigeons. * American Show Racer *

Dragoon Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...

* English Carrier * German Beauty Homer *

Homing pigeon The homing pigeon, also called the mail pigeon or messenger pigeon, is a variety of domestic pigeons (''Columba livia domestica'') derived from the wild rock dove, selectively bred for its ability to find its way home over extremely long dist ...

Pouters and Croppers

This group includes breeds developed for the ability to inflate their crops. * English Pouter * Brunner Pouter * Gaditano Pouter * Holle Cropper * Horseman Pouter * Norwich Cropper * Pigmy Pouter * Pouter * Voorburg shield cropper * Old German Croppers *Magpi pouter

Exhibition Tumblers

This group originally consisted of flying/tumbler breeds, but has now been refined to include only purely ornamental/exhibition breeds. * Budapest Short-faced Tumbler * English Long-faced Tumbler * English Short-faced Tumbler *

Helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protect ...

* English Magpie *

Nun A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 599. The term is ...

Flying Tumblers and Highfliers

This group is dual purpose in that its members can be shown, but also retain acrobatic or sporting ability and can therefore be used in flying competitions. Flying tumbler varieties belong in this group. Although many varieties in this grouping have become primarily show varieties, they are still expected to display characteristics of performing birds. * Armenian Tumbler * Australian Performing Tumbler * Danzig Highflyer * Donek * Roller * Tippler

Utility pigeons

This group includes breeds originally developed as sources of

meat Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted, farmed, and scavenged animals for meat since prehistoric times. The establishment of settlements in the Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of animals such as c ...

. * Carneau * French Mondain * King pigeon * American Giant Runt * Strasser pigeon

References

External links

National Pigeon Association - USA

Purebred Pigeon Magazine

National Young Bird Show - USA

Fancy Pigeon Portraits

Egypt Swifts - Pigeon News
{Dead link, date=December 2019 , bot=InternetArchiveBot , fix-attempted=yes Aviculture Columba (genus) Domesticated animals Domestic pigeons