Torch pigeons: description, breeds, years, photos and videos

Content

1 Distinctive features of end pigeons
2 Years of end pigeons
3 Breeds of end pigeons
4 Keeping end pigeons
5 Conclusion

Butterfly pigeons are a group of high-flying subspecies that differ from other species in their unusual flight technique. Birds tend to flit rather than fly, which is the basis for the name. By 2019, there were very few end pigeons left and the number of purebred representatives of the breed was steadily declining.

Distinctive features of end pigeons

Butter pigeons are distinguished from other breeds by the following characteristics:

the bird's body has a characteristic slope of 45°C;
the length of adult individuals averages 35-40 cm;
the head is oblong, rounded;
the beak is medium or small in size, the tip is slightly curved down;
the neck is strong, richly feathered;
the chest is well developed;
the tail is strong, large;
the plumage is rigid, the feathers fit tightly to the body;
the skin of the legs has a reddish tint.

The color of end pigeons is represented by a large color palette: there are both solid black and white representatives, and variegated individuals. This variety is not distinguished by its beauty, but end pigeons were not bred as an ornamental subspecies. These are birds that are judged on their flying abilities.

Important! There is a common misconception on the Internet that sickle pigeons, like some others, belong to the end breeds, but this is not so. First, the flight patterns of these two subspecies are different from each other.Secondly, there are two end rocks.

Years of end pigeons

The homeland of end pigeons is Ukraine, the first representatives were bred in the Nikolaev region. It is believed that the steppe climate of this region is the reason why pigeons have developed a rather unusual flight style that uses the power of gusts of wind.

The years of end pigeons can be characterized as follows:

The bird takes off quickly and almost vertically, after which it sharply folds its wings and seems to fall down, which formed the basis for the English name for end pigeons - “cloud cutter”. Thanks to this take-off feature, they rise from small platforms with an area of about 4 m².
Butterfly pigeons fly easily, without noise. They are supported in the air by strong winds and rising air currents, allowing them to soar effortlessly above the ground.
During flight, the bird holds its wings parallel to the surface of the earth and spreads its plumage in one plane. The wings are thrown forward to their maximum length, while the tail is slightly lowered and also spread wide.
Because the pigeon holds its tail slightly down, it appears as if it is flying at an angle and appears to be sitting on its tail.
The butt pigeon lands at an angle of 90°C.
Despite the fact that end pigeons in a flock soar into the air together, in the sky they prefer to separate and stay alone.

A slightly different flight pattern is observed in the Zaporozhye population of the Nikolaev breed, which even served as the basis for separating these pigeons into a separate breed. The bird flies in a circle, alternately using the right and left wings. This flight pattern was nicknamed “cheerful.”

In strong winds, the end pigeon stays in the sky for 1-1.5 hours, but regular training increases the birds' endurance.A properly trained pigeon can withstand flights of 8-9 hours.

Breeds of end pigeons

The ancestors of high-flying end pigeons were individuals brought by Ukrainian sailors from Greece. The first purebred representatives of the butt pigeon variety were bred in the Nikolaev region, hence the name of the species - Nikolaev butt pigeons. For a long time, the distribution area was limited to Ukraine, but ultimately the new species found recognition in Russia, where they began to be actively bred. The butt subspecies of pigeons was officially registered in 1910.

It is customary to distinguish two breeds of pigeons with an end flight pattern: Nikolaev and Kirovograd Lilac. They differ from each other not only in appearance, but also in the characteristics of summer.

A typical Nikolaev pigeon looks like this:

These are medium-sized birds, the body length of an adult does not exceed 40 cm;
the landing is low, the physique is moderately developed, slightly elongated;
the chest is strong, muscular and slightly elevated;
the neck is somewhat short;
the back is straight and wide;
the wings are not adjacent to the body, but close when folded, their length corresponds to the length of the tail;
when a dove folds its wings, their lower part lies on the tail;
The bird's head is narrow, slightly elongated and small, proportional to the size of the body;
the plumage of the head is smooth;
the beak is thin and long, small in size;
the wax is light, almost white;
eyelids beige;
the eyes are small, the color of the iris is determined by the color of the plumage: white individuals have dark brown eyes, motley pigeons have golden irises, etc.;
the tail is wide and long, flowing smoothly into the back;
the feathers of Nikolaev pigeons are elastic, wide;
Birds have no feathers or down on their legs, they are naked;
the color of the legs is brown with a reddish tint, the color of the claws is lighter, and it largely depends on the plumage: white pigeons have flesh-colored claws, while motley pigeons have gray claws;
It is difficult to name a typical color, Nikolaev pigeons come in almost all shades - there are red, ash, black, blue, white and variegated plumage colors;
on the chest and neck of the pigeon, regardless of color, there should be a metallic tint.

Kirovograd Lilacs are much smaller than their counterparts, but they are attractive in appearance - the birds are distinguished by their elegant posture and grace. In addition, Kirovograd end pigeons are quite playful.

Important! The difficulty in breeding the Kirovograd breed is that these birds are restless and restless. The female is reluctant to incubate offspring.

The description of the Kirovograd breed is as follows:

The body length of a pigeon is on average 30 cm, in extreme cases 32; larger individuals are discarded;
the head is small, but proportional to the size of the body;
the eyes are light, almost white;
beak short;
the chest is developed and muscular, but there is a small indentation in the center;
when the pigeon folds its wings, their ends are almost level with the end of the tail;
The plumage of the breed is dense;
The color of the plumage can be very different, as with the Nikolaev end pigeons: blue, black, red, white, yellow or motley.

Like the Nikolaev breed, Kirovograd Lilacs are rare today.

Keeping end pigeons

Keeping end pigeons is not particularly difficult; even beginner amateurs can breed both the Kirovograd and Nikolaev breeds.The ease of caring for birds is due to their unpretentiousness and the ability to easily adapt to almost any living conditions - even low temperatures in the winter months do not have any serious effect on end pigeons. In addition, birds develop quickly and reach sexual maturity in the shortest possible time. The type and quality of food also does not matter much; end pigeons are not picky in their choice of food.

Important! A possible difficulty in breeding the end subspecies is the temperament of pigeons. The Kirovograd breed is fussy and restless.

The advantages of the species include good fertility, which is what becomes the determining factor for purchase in most cases. Nikolaev pigeons are more popular because they are calmer than Kirovograd pigeons. The females of these pigeons hatch their eggs on their own; they do not need to be monitored, like the Kirovograd Lilacs. The only condition for keeping end pigeons is that the birds need a spacious enclosure for full development. It is strictly prohibited to keep them in the apartment.

The flock housing must be clean, dry and protected from drafts. From time to time the enclosure is disinfected. For the winter, it is recommended to organize separate keeping of females and males; they are united in February. In such conditions, offspring are produced already in April.

The end pigeons are fed 2 times a day. Despite the fact that the species is unpretentious and undemanding in terms of nutrition, it is never superfluous to feed the birds with mineral supplements. It is better to include light food that is easily digestible in the diet of the end breed. In its most general form, pigeon food consists of the following products:

oats;
corn grits;
peas;
succulent food;
greenery.

Advice! 2 weeks before mating, the birds are fed with hemp seeds. They contain a large amount of nutrients that females need during this period of time.

Chicks are fed more often than adults - 3 times a day. In the first weeks of life, it is better to give corn grits; greens are introduced later. All new feeds and food additives are introduced into the diet gradually so as not to cause stress to the birds’ digestive system.

A feature of keeping the butt subspecies is early training. If you do not start training birds in time, they will subsequently develop flight defects, they will also be less hardy and will not be able to stay in the air for a long time.

Chicks are trained starting from 6-7 weeks, without skipping. According to the time, training is organized in the morning. Night flights are tried with each bird individually, not with a flock. At the same time, you don’t have to worry if suddenly someone doesn’t return on time. When there is strong wind or rain, birds often fly long distances, but then invariably return home; this takes on average no more than 3-4 days.

Conclusion

Butter pigeons are birds with an unusual flight pattern that are not seen as often as they used to be. The number of the breed is gradually declining, and there are very few purebred individuals left. If no action is taken, the breed will become extinct.