My Growing Flight of Pigeons
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, I always enjoy teaching visitors about the many birds I keep - the peafowl, the Guinea fowl, the geese, the pigeons, and of course my chickens. Most recently, I added four fancy Owl pigeons to my flight from The Wellwood Pigeon Store on Long Island - beautiful white and gray birds that resemble the silver gull in color and markings.
These Owl pigeons join my Homers, Tipplers, Egyptian Swifts, and Syrian Damascenes. They live in a pen adjacent to my peafowl yard and across from my stable. Pigeons have been domesticated for thousands of years and have been kept by people worldwide for their companionship, their sport, and their loyal service. They are fascinating and intelligent creatures. I am so glad my pigeons thrive here at Cantitoe Corners.
Enjoy these photos.
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- The pigeons are housed in this dovecote across from my stable – it is the perfect size for these fancy homing birds and the enclosure gives them lots of room to fly, roost, and still be well-protected from predators.
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- Fancy pigeons are domesticated varieties of the wild rock dove, bred by pigeon fanciers for size, shape, color, and behavior. I have about 32-fancy pigeons here at the farm.
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- Pigeons are very social animals. They will often be seen in flocks of 20 to 30 birds.
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- The newest pigeons at the farm are these Old German Owl pigeons – a breed of fancy pigeon, and the originator of the short faced German Shield Owls. It was the first breed in Germany to be called Mövchen or “Little Gull” due to its resemblance to the silver gull in color and markings. Perched here are three of the four Owl pigeons I purchased from The Wellwood Pigeon Store in West Babylon, New York. The Wellwood has a large variety of gorgeous birds – I also buy my pigeon food from this shop.
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- The Old German Owl pigeon is an average sized bird with a very beautiful appearance. It has a round and broad head with a well arched forehead. They have small but full shell crests over their heads and large, bright and lively bull eyes.
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- Here is the fourth – taking in all the views from the roof of the dovecote. Look closely, the feet and toes of the Owl pigeon are never feathered. Their feathers are well developed and sit tightly against the body. The main color and patterns of the Old German Owl pigeon include: ash red, blue, brown, recessive red, checks, spread, and bars in black, red, brown and white and dilutes of these base colors.
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- This Owl pigeon is already happy to be outside with the others. Pigeons have excellent hearing. They can detect sounds at far lower frequencies than humans, and can hear distant storms and volcanoes.
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- The Old German Owl pigeon is a calm bird with a very good temperament, although some have been described as quiet or even shy. In time, they can be more active and friendly by copying other tame pigeons in their loft. These birds are usually well regarded for high intelligence combined with a gentle, responsive nature.
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- Birds always need places to roost – I always provide all my birds with multiple places to perch, such as this dead tree “transplanted” here in the pigeon pen.
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- This is a white Homer – among the most famous pigeon breeds. It comes in a variety of colors and has a remarkable ability to find its way home from very long distances.
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- Pigeons can fly at altitudes of 6000-feet or more. Pigeons can also fly at average speeds of up to 77-miles per hour, but have been recorded flying at about 90-miles per hour.
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- This is an Almond Tippler. Tipplers are renowned for their endurance – they can remain in uninterrupted flight for long periods of time.
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- Oftentimes, pigeons of the same breed will stay close together – here is a pair of Dunn Tipplers, also very adept at staying in flight for hours without stopping.
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- Here, the outdoor grounds crew also built a ladder for the birds. These pigeons love to sit on the rungs and watch the neighboring peafowl or their equine friends walking to and from the stable.
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- Here is a white Homer and an Almond Tippler. Pigeons are thought to navigate by sensing the earth’s magnetic field and using the sun for direction. Other theories include the use of roads and even low frequency seismic waves to find their way home.
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- The pigeons are free to be inside or outside during the day. This Dunn Tippler just flew in and perched on the inside ladder of their dovecote.
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- Here is a dark Egyptian Swift on another rung of the ladder. This breed is known for its long tail, long wings, and short beak.
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- A pigeon’s diet contains about 50-percent grain crops, and 10-percent oil seed, rich in vitamins B and E. Corn is also a good source of vitamin A. An average adult sized pigeon can eat about 30-grams of food each day.
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- Pigeons come in a wide range of colors and markings. An adult pigeon is about 13 inches in length and can weigh up to 20 ounces.
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- This Dunn Tippler is on top of the nesting boxes. We keep these shelters very dry to prevent bacteria and disease from developing. Water and moisture are the enemies. Pigeons can be messy, but it is important to keep their enclosures clean.
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- Pigeons breed all year round with peak breeding periods in spring and summer. These hens love their nesting boxes and love to sit in them.
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- I am fortunate to have staff that can check on the animals several times during the day and night to ensure all are safe and that any equipment used is working properly. I visit my animals every chance I get – I’ll be back soon, my pigeons.
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