Colors-Markings are Important but Remarkable Parental Care in Pigeons

Department of Biology, Cantonment Public College, Saidpur Cantonment―5311, Nilphamari, Bangladesh

*Corresponding author: Ashraful Kabir, Department of Biology, Cantonment Public College, Saidpur Cantonment―5311, Nilphamari, Bangladesh, Phone: +88-01712563750; E-mail: [email protected]

Received Date: October 03, 2024

Published Date: November 14, 2024

Citation: Kabir A. (2024). Colors-Markings are Important but Remarkable Parental Care in Pigeons. Mathews J Vet Sci. 8(4):52.

Copyrights: Kabir A. © (2024).

ABSTRACT

Ideal marking and color of fancy pigeon breeds are the base mark, but polygenes could represent different colors in their progeny. This incident does not make a hassle to the pigeon keepers if they have remarkable parental care. In this regard, this article could forward our common tendency during buying pigeons based on color and marking. Many breeders of Bangladesh have experience to get different colors and markings from the purebred parents. In this observation, English tippler (Plate 1), moos-sulli, racing homer, Bangladeshi bombai, Indian lotan, and crossbreds showed outstanding parental care (incubation, hatching, feeding to squab) with diversified colors and patterns. To purchase fancy pigeon, it is mandatory to know their reproductive history with those colors and markings as well.

Keywords: Fancy Pigeon, Color, Marking, Grading, Selective Breeding, Incubation, Hatching, Feeding, Squab.

INTRODUCTION

Purchasing pigeons from anywhere, pigeon keepers collect their pigeons by observing the actual markings with specific colors. This technique is accepted, but for their proper reproduction, information about the parental care of the collected pigeons is a must. In the case of squab, need to see the performance of their parents. The activity of polygenes controls the color of pigeons, so from the actual markings or colors, different offspring may come. Many breeders claim that their most fancy pigeons do not care for their squabs. They use foster pigeons (tumblers, homers, indigenous/locals, crossbreds) for keeping sufficient squabs. Sometimes, weighted pigeons (Lahore pigeon, king pigeon, etc.) break their eggs during incubating. Many well-established pigeon owners sometimes use incubator machines. Recently, homers have come forward in this parenting session. Healthy breeding pairs are a must for an ideal loft [1]. The fertility of local pigeons was 96.6%, hatchability was 77%, and the embryo mortality rate was 23% [2]. Local pigeons have coloniality and biparental care of the squab [3]. The objective of this study is to emphasize the parental care with the markings and colors of fancy pigeons during purchasing.

Pigeon breeds

Tumbler pigeons are more diversified with their types, colors, and remarkable parental care [1]. Moos-sulli is another type of common tumbler but fancy pigeon of Bangladesh. Racing homers were found mostly blue bar but observed many markings. For its proper output need to manage different types of breeding and recommended feed. Bangladeshi bombai looks nice with basically recessive reds. Its breeding performance is better. Indian lotan pigeon are found with bull eyes and muff and noteworthy breeding performance. Crossed indigenous pigeons or mixed breeds have been considered excellent in fostering.

Selection criteria for breeding

Five types of purebred pigeons (English tippler, moos-sulli, racing homer, Bangladeshi bombai, Indian lotan) and one crossbred reared for several years had a significant amount of parental care (incubation, hatching, feeding to squab). Additionally, these pigeons were selected with their pure and mixed colors (grizzle, blue bar, recessive red, white). Several years of breeding observation by such keepers concluded that color and marking are not the main criteria always therefore parental care is important for the continuity of these breeds. There was no special type of lofts, commercial rod cages were enough to observe their mentioned breeding status all the year round. Most pigeon buyers of Bangladesh mainly observe the breeds’ color and structure and are not well-known for actual grading of fancy pigeons. Pigeon keepers of Bangladesh do non-judicious crosses between or among breeds and sometimes get uncommon colored squabs and these can be used as foster parents finally [4].

Limitations in reproductive performance

Due to less incubation tendency of some fancy pigeons, need to keep foster pigeons in the farms [5]. In Bangladesh, we have many rare and expensive pigeon breeds with real markings and colors but some mis-markings were very common in most breeds. For instance, from the red, yellow, or black, some offspring showed very few white feathers. Blue-bar homer pair could produce silver semi-bar pattern. In addition, wild-type parents could produce crested squab too. For a single fancy pair, a minimum of five pair foster pigeons needs to be kept, in many cases, this is not possible due to short space. Selling eggs can be an option for rare and expensive breeds. Incubator machine could be a solution for hatching the heavier breeds (mondains, giant homers, runts, German crests, etc.) and rare breeds (saints, Texan pioneer, Spanish runts, etc.) but after these it is needed to keep sufficient number of foster pigeons in lofts.

Plate 1. Parental care of English tippler pair.

CONCLUSIONS

To buy pigeons from anywhere, should collect the reproductive history of pigeons either they are adult or squab. In addition, color is of course another key point for a fancy pigeon. Most pigeon breeders of Bangladesh have some limitations of knowledge on the parental care of pure and crossbred pigeons but the gross output of their pigeons is mentionable.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

None.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Author declares that there is no conflict of interest.

REFERENCES

1. Kabir A, Hawkeswood TJ. (2021). Management and commercial breeding of pigeons in Bangladesh: a review. Calodema. 865:1-8.
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3. Stern CA, Dickinson JL. (2010). Encyclopedia of Animal Behaviour. Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science.
4. Kabir MA. (2014). Grading system of ten common fancy pigeons of Bangladesh. Integrated Journal of British. 1(1):19-26.
5. Kabir MA. (2013). Productivity of crossed indigenous pigeon in semi-intensive system. Basic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Review. 2(1):1-4.