The Jacobin is a breed of fancy pigeon known for its hood: reversed neck feathers that form a hood over the head, a mane behind it and a chain down each side of the face. It is a slim, upright, medium-sized bird kept for exhibition. The breed is centuries old, but its exact origin is unknown.
Jacobin pigeon quick facts
| Jacobin | |
|---|---|
| Type | Fancy (exhibition) pigeon, a domestic form of the rock pigeon Columba livia |
| Known for | The head formation: hood, mane, chain and the “rose” on each side |
| Origin | Unknown. India and Cyprus are both suggested; an English source of 1603 called them “Cyprus pigeons”. Established in Europe by the 16th century |
| Name | After the Jacobins, the Dominican friars of Paris, whose hooded habits the feathering resembles |
| Show group | Structure pigeons in the US NPA Book of Standards |
| Size and build | Medium-sized, slender and upright; looks bigger than it is because of its feathering and long wings and tail |
| Colours | Black, red, yellow, white, blue, silver and splash; coloured birds have a white head, flights, rump and tail |
| Eyes | Pearl (white) |
| Legs | Medium length, no feathering on the feet |
| Lifespan | Up to about 10 to 11 years, according to an Australian breeder; hens usually stop laying at around six |
The hood, mane and chain
The Jacobin’s ornament is a “feather formation” that grows from the neck and envelops the head, so the face can only be seen from the front. Breeders and judges divide it into parts:
- Hood: the row of feathers at the back of the head that curves up and forward over the crown, described in the NPA standard as the Jacobin’s long shell crest.
- Mane: the thick mass of feathers rising up the back of the neck behind the hood.
- Chain: the feathers running down each side of the face and meeting at the front of the breast.
- Rose: the whorl on each side of the neck from which the side feathers radiate.
A 2013 genome study (Shapiro and colleagues, Science) found that head crests in pigeons, from a small peak to the Jacobin’s hood, are linked to a single mutation in the gene EphB2. It reverses the growth direction of the neck feathers so they grow up towards the head. The mutation is recessive and appears to have arisen once and spread to every crested breed, with other genes controlling how large the crest becomes. Our guide to pigeon colour genetics covers how other traits are inherited.
How a Jacobin is judged: the NPA standard
The National Pigeon Association’s Book of Standards (Jacobin section, 2022) scores a Jacobin out of 100. The hood, mane and chain together account for 55 points.
| Feature | Points | What the judge looks for |
|---|---|---|
| Hood and top | 20 | Long, coming well forward, thick and even at the edge, fitting close to the head |
| Chain | 20 | Long and smooth, balancing the mane, the two sides meeting evenly at the breast |
| Mane | 15 | Thick and even, rising in an unbroken sweep high above the head |
| Carriage | 15 | Very upright and steady in the show pen; a bird that crouches may be disqualified |
| Colour | 15 | Rich and even, with strong lustre on the hood, mane and chain |
| Markings | 7 | White head from just below the eye, white flights, rump and tail |
| Body | 5 | Slim at the shoulders, tapering to the tail, with long flights carried above it |
| Eyes | 3 | Pearl or white with small pupils; one “bull” (dark) eye costs a point |
Origin and history
Nobody knows exactly where or when the Jacobin was developed. Pigeon Cote, a long-running fancy pigeon site, notes that some accounts place its origin in India and others in Cyprus, and that by the 16th century the breed was established in Europe. The NPA standard cites a 1603 reference to “Cyprus pigeons” and an 1824 French account by Boitard and Corbié linking the breed to the hooded Capuchin friars. In French the bird has also been called pigeon carme, after the Carmelites.
The usual English name comes from the Jacobins, the Dominican friars of Paris, who were named after their first convent at the church of Saint-Jacques. According to Pigeon Cote, Queen Victoria prized Jacobins above all other varieties and kept them in her own lofts. The site also notes that the breed has changed more than most over the last 80 years or so: it was once bred to be small, while today’s Jacobin is medium-sized with a much larger hood. Similar hooded breeds include the Old Dutch Capuchine; for others, see our guide to pigeon breeds.
Keeping Jacobins
Views on how easy Jacobins are to keep differ. Pigeon Cote says the breed is hardy and not as delicate as its looks suggest, but that the hood stops the birds seeing well to the sides, so they fly little and prefer to stay on the floor. It recommends keeping them on their own in a smaller loft, away from other breeds.
An Australian breeder interviewed by Burke’s Backyard described them as “individualist” and recommended a separate breeding box for each pair, because cocks will take over a cage floor as their territory and keep other birds from feeding. He allowed a loft of 1.2 by 1.8 by 1.8 metres for three pairs, with sand rather than sawdust on the floor, and cleaned it every fortnight. For general advice, see keeping pigeons as pets and how long pigeons live.
Breeding
Breeders usually trim the hood and the feathers around the vent before pairing, because the hood can get in the way of mating. The hen lays two eggs, a day apart, which hatch after about 17 days.
Many breeders have Jacobin eggs hatched and the chicks reared by pigeons of another breed, often homers, used as feeders. According to Burke’s Backyard, the short beak makes feeding chicks harder, and a hen with a large hood may not notice an egg rolling out from under her. Pigeon Cote, on the other hand, describes the Jacobin as a good parent. Burke’s breeder limited each pair to three rounds of eggs a season and noted that hens usually stop laying at around six years old.
How much does a Jacobin pigeon cost?
Prices depend on the quality of the bird and the country. Burke’s Backyard quoted 50 to 200 Australian dollars per bird, and reported that the first Jacobins allowed into Australia since 1949, imported in 1991, cost an estimated 800 dollars each. Breed clubs and local pigeon societies can put you in touch with breeders; see also where to buy pigeons.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Jacobin pigeon?
A breed of fancy pigeon with a large hood of reversed feathers around its head, made up of the hood, mane and chain. It is a domestic form of the rock pigeon kept mainly for exhibition.
Where does the Jacobin pigeon come from?
Its origin is unknown. India and Cyprus are both suggested, and the breed was established in Europe by the 16th century.
Why is it called a Jacobin?
The hood looks like the hooded habits of the Jacobins, the Dominican friars of Paris, who took their name from the church of Saint-Jacques.
Can Jacobin pigeons fly?
Yes, but not much. The hood limits their view to the sides, so they fly little and spend most of their time on the loft floor.
Are Jacobin pigeons good pets?
They are kept mainly by fanciers rather than as house pets. Cocks can be quarrelsome with other birds, the hood needs trimming for breeding, and many breeders have the young raised by pigeons of another breed.
How long do Jacobin pigeons live?
An Australian breeder quoted by Burke’s Backyard put it at 10 to 11 years. Hens usually stop laying at around six.
Sources
We read each source on 2 November 2026.
- National Pigeon Association: Book of Standards (2025 edition; Jacobin section 2022) (opens in new tab)
- NPA Jacobin standard 1993, reproduced by Pigeon Cote (opens in new tab)
- Pigeon Cote: The Jacobin (history, care, temperament) (opens in new tab)
- Burke’s Backyard: Jacobin pigeon (breeder interview: breeding, housing, lifespan, cost) (opens in new tab)
- Shapiro and others (2013), Genomic diversity and evolution of the head crest in the rock pigeon, Science (opens in new tab)
Last updated 2 November 2026 · Types