Sunday, December 2, 2012

Black Spangle Saxon

After enjoying Portraits of Egypt's Fancy Pigeons by Photojournalist David Degner, I spent most of the afternoon googling and learning about fancy pigeons. They are all descendents of the common Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon that we see in abundance around the city. According to Wikipedia, they're generally monogamous and have two "squeakers" (babies) per brood. That distinctive little blob of white on the top of their beaks is called an operculum and it helps keep water and dust out of their little nostrils. Here are some champions:

Champion Black Plainheaded Old German Moorhead

Blue Crested Saxon Spot

Champion Black White Barred Silesian Swallow (Plainheaded Saxon Wing Pigeon)

Champion Black Crested Saxon Spot

Champion Black White Barred Double Crested Saxon Shield.

All the above photos are by Reiner Fuchs, see the rest of the series from Zwönitz 2011 and more at unitedswallowclub.com