Types
Pigeons and doves form the family Columbidae, with more than 300 wild species around the world. This section covers those wild birds, from familiar town and woodland pigeons to regional doves, and the domestic and fancy breeds developed from the rock dove. Each profile looks at identification, voice and range, or at a breed’s history and care.
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Types
The Tiger Swallow Pigeon: Breed Guide
In Europe the Tiger Swallow Pigeon is also known as the Bohemian Fairy Swallow. It is one of the fancy pigeons used primarily for exhibition. Tiger Swallow Pigeon…
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Types
Dewlap Pigeons: Breed Guide
Originating from the Middle East, this breed is so-called because of their most distinguishing feature – the dewlap that extends from the underneath of their beaks to their…
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Types
Tippler Pigeons: Types, Records and How They Are Flown
What is a tippler pigeon? A tippler is a domestic pigeon bred in England in the 19th century for endurance flying. A kit of three or more birds…
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Types
King Pigeon: Size, Weight, Colours and Breed Standard
The King is a large American pigeon breed developed in the 1890s to produce heavy squabs (young pigeons raised for meat). It now exists in two forms: the…
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Types
Why Do Tumbler Pigeons Tumble?
Tumbler pigeons tumble because it is a genetic trait. Tumbling is not seen in wild rock pigeons: it appeared in domestic pigeons, probably as a mutation that breeders…
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Types
The Difference Between a Dove Vs a Pigeon Explained
Scientifically, doves and pigeons are the same thing. They belong to the same taxonomic family, which has 344 known species, 13 of them now extinct, and no scientific…
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Types
Types of Pigeon Breeds
“Types of pigeon” can mean two different things. There are the several hundred wild species in the pigeon and dove family, Columbidae. And there are the domestic breeds,…
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Types
The Complete Guide to Feral Pigeons
Feral pigeons are pigeons that live freely in towns, cities and the countryside, unlike a domestic pigeon kept as a pet. Some of them appear in our pigeon…
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Types
Domestic Pigeons Explained: The Complete Guide
The domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica) descends from the wild rock pigeon, also called the rock dove. People have kept pigeons for thousands of years, and they are…
