Indian Highflyer Pigeon

ON THE BASIS OF NATURE OF LIVING

On the basis of nature of living pigeons can be divided into three categories-

Rock Dove- It is common pigeon in urban areas, but can also be found on fields and rocky cliffs. It is a large husky bird with a small head and short legs. They can be recognized by its blue grey body, black-tipped tail, inky-green feathers on the neck, and two black bars on each wing. Wings are broad and pointed, and the tail is wide and rounded.

Fig. Indian rock dove

http://www.birding.in/images/Birds/rock_pigeon.jpg

Domestic pigeon- It is derived from rock pigeon and originates from Europe, Northern Africa, and India. Many of these birds are white, tan, checkered or show a combination of several color. They are somewhat narrow-bodied and broad-billed. These pigeons domesticated by fanciers for flying sport or as their own interest.

Fig. Indian kalchocha male pigeon

Source: facebook group- Indian flying pigeon association

Feral Pigeon- They are also called city pigeons. It is derived from domestic pigeon. It is similar to the rock dove in general shape and size, but often has a narrower body, longer tail, broader beak, and larger Ceres. It usually has a pale blue gray color with two conspicuous black bars across the wings, giving a spotted effect and broad black bar at the end of the tail. Neck and upper breast have iridescent-green and purple colours, and the ratio of colours differs in each population.

Fig. Feral pigeon

http://australianmuseum.net.au/image/Feral-Pigeon-or-Rock-Dove

ON THE BASIS OF FLYING ABILITY

There are five flying styles any bird follows; gliding, soaring, flapping, hovering and tumbling. Depending upon bird’s body and wing’s structure and life habitant any bird use these flying style more or less. The point is to spare the valuable energy as much as possible; in other word, fly with the most economical way.

Gliding When sun beams make the earth warm, warm air from the surface of the earth goes up because it is lighter than cold air. As day goes on, the earth produces and release warmer air parcels. These warm air units make bubbles of thermal units with different size and radius. Any light object on the top of this thermal unit could go high as long as it stays in the centre of thermal unit. In a sunny day, you might see how a piece of paper or a plastic bag smoothly goes up in sky by warm air. Birds love these thermal units. As soon as they go on the top of these units they stay in the circle and fly around the centre of thermal parcel. The warm air pushes them up and they go higher without any physical effort. As long as warm air exists and the bird stays over the thermal unit, they could go higher and fly without wasting energy.

Soaring is another flying technique that birds use with the help of wind and thermal units. After birds reach higher elevation with the force of warm air, they can leave the thermal unit and move to another location by soaring technique. They wide open their wings and soar over air horizontally for long distance. Of course they are going to lose elevation until they reach another thermal unit and go higher again. If they soar down wind, the lost of elevation would be faster and they would pass shorter distance. Naturally, up wind soaring would transfer the bird longer distance with lees elevation lost. In their soaring path, birds find another thermal unit and with gliding technique reach higher elevation again.

Flapping is the pigeon’s major flying style. Pigeons flap their wings 3-4 times in a second. Depend on whether condition, windy, calm or full of warm thermal units, the number and style of flapping may change. Like any other birds, pigeons try to get the most advantages of thermal units during flying. Some time a flying kit of pigeons by chasing a strong thermal unit transfer some distance depend on wind direction far from top of their loft.

Hovering is the technique which bird can keep itself stable and still in air. In such a condition the bird wide opens its’ tail and flaps the wings as fast as possible with complex aerodynamic angles. Homing bird are masters of hovering.

Tumbling is another flying performance that tumbler and roller pigeons do the most. Tumbling, contains beautiful somersaults and acrobatic motion in sky.

There are four types of flying skills of pigeons differing in breeds-

1. Endurance flying (Dot flying) – In this, pigeons do not show any tumble or somersaults at the time of flying. They start the flight with strong wing flaps and continue with smooth flapping until the end of flying time; once in a while they increase the speed of wing beats to highest sequence and go vertically up (semi-hovering) for almost 10 meters with beautiful acrobatic curves. During fly, depend on wheatear condition; pigeons may change the flapping speed. Over warm air they flap smoother and softer then colder air. They fly high in the sky up to their maximum reach. They continue fly at least six hours at that height.

2. Low flying- In this, pigeons flies at low height. At the time of flying they can be seen easily by naked eyes. They can show any type of acrobatics at this height depending on breed.

3. Performance flying- In this pigeons shows some tumbles, rolls and somersaults in the sky at the time of flying. Mostly low flyers pigeon fall in this category that has tumbling or rolling properties. Some high flyers also show tumbles in sky. E.g. Tumblers, rollers etc.

4. Fast flying- This type of flying skill requires fast flapping of wing over long distance flying. E.g. homing pigeons, carrier pigeons etc.

NOW ON THE BASIS OF LIVING ABILITY PIGEONS CAN BE CLASSIFIED INTO FOUR CATEGORIES-

1. High flyers pigeons- These pigeons show endurance flying skill. They can reach up to 1800+ feet height above the ground. They fly on the top of loft at high elevation. It becomes very difficult to see them by naked eye. E.g.:- tipplers , highflyers pigeons.

Fig. Jarcha male pigeon

Source: Facebook group- Indian flying pigeon association

2. Low flyers pigeons- These pigeons show low flying skill.

Fig. punjabi female pigeon

Source: facebook group Indian flying pigeon association

3. Fancy pigeons- These pigeons prepared by crossing different breeds. They are very attractive and colorful. They are laziest pigeons.

They are of two types-

a) Flying- They flies at low height for few minutes.

b) Non- flying

Fig.English fantail pigeon

http://pigeon-kingdom.blogspot.in/2009/07/english-fantail-pigeon-pictures.html

4.Racer/Carrier/Homer pigeons- This type of pigeon has the fastest flying speed. When these pigeons are released from a predetermined site, they race back to their loft. Flight as long as 1,800 km (1,100 miles) have been recorded by birds in competitive pigeon racing. Their average flying speed over moderate distances is around 80 km/h (50 mile/h).

Carrier pigeon or messenger pigeon is a homing pigeon that is used to carry messages. Using pigeons to carry messages is generally called ‘pigeon post’. Most homing or racing type varieties are used to carry messages. Carrier pigeons of the racing homer breed were used to carry messages in World War 1 and Word War 2.Homing pigeons were still employed in the 21^st century by certain remote police departments in Odisha state in eastern India to provide emergency communication services following natural disasters.