Characteristics of end pigeons
The most common in the world among its fellows is the Sickle pigeon. It is his relatives who are most often found on the streets and in the photo. Its flight is distinguished by a wing span. End handsome pigeons differ from ordinary ones: they do not seem to fly, but end. These days it is becoming more difficult to enjoy this style of flight, due to the fact that there are fewer and fewer purebred representatives. Let's take a closer look at the information about who the end pigeons are and what characteristics they have.
End pigeons
Where do you come from
High-flying buttresses were first registered in 1910. The homeland of birds is Ukraine, the city of Nikolaev, but over time, they began to breed them in Kirovograd. Then the years of End pigeons changed slightly, and they were named Kirovograd. But it was the Nikolaev pigeon that became the progenitor of Ukrainian breeds.
It is believed that it was the windy climate of the steppes of the Nikolaev region that influenced the formation of new species of Pigeons and their years. And if at first only Ukraine could observe and breed these beautiful birds, then now the End pieces have spread and gained popularity in Russia.
What is special
The breed is distinguished by a peculiar manner of flight: pigeons rise sharply to a height, and then fold their wings and fall rapidly. Because of this, in English they are called nothing more than "cloud cutters". The bird is able to stay in the air for about an hour, and only regular training can extend this time to 9 hours.
Nikolaev high-flying ones often become winners in various competitions. When the international pigeon championship was first held in England, it was the Butt pigeons that won the gold. At first, they were more common in coastal areas, but now there are a sufficient number of them in various Ukrainian and Russian cities. Perhaps it was the unsurpassed years that made them so popular among pigeon breeders because the beautiful butt pigeons of their years fascinate. Recently, in Poland, they managed to develop a new breed based on the data of birds - the Polish Orlik, whose feathers are absolutely white. They have retained the style of circleless flight, and even a couple of clubs of fans of this variety have already appeared.
If the appearance of birds can be assessed by numerous photos, then the manner of flying can be conveyed only by a detailed description. End pigeons soar up very quickly and descend at a 90-degree angle to the ground, therefore, for these maneuvers, a platform up to 4 m is enough. Winged pigeons fly easily and naturally, without creating noise. The wings are kept only parallel and seem to twist them into the air when they move. At the same time, the tail unfolds, and the head becomes invisible. Wind speed up to 7 m / s is optimal for a spectacular flight. Under such conditions, the end caps are forced to catch the wind with their wings and are not able to take off very quickly. The winged ones, although they often take off in flocks, prefer to stay in the sky one at a time.
Appearance
First of all, you need to understand that the Nikolaev and Kirovograd End pigeons have a number of certain differences.The first is the base breed. She tends to soar at high altitudes and move tirelessly for up to 7 hours in a row. A more detailed description is as follows:
- representatives of the species reach up to 40 cm in length;
- they are characterized by a 45 ° inclination of the body;
- elongated rounded head;
- orange or gold eyes;
- medium-sized beak bent down;
- strong neck with lush feathers;
- well-developed chest;
- plumage of different shades: there are white, black, colored and variegated representatives;
- a lush tail, consisting of 16 feathers;
- feathers are pressed to the body, hard;
- reddish shade of the leg.
They are not considered particularly beautiful, since they are flying, not decorative, and even the price of each individual depends on the flying qualities. The cheapest one can buy a bird for 1,500 rubles, but there are also representatives of pigeons, for which they ask up to several hundred dollars.
Kirovograd Lilacs, as they are also called, are significantly smaller, but they have natural grace and posture, and, moreover, are extremely playful. When breeding them, it becomes difficult to achieve hatching of offspring, because the male and female are too fast and active and do not want to do this. The external characteristics of pigeons are as follows: the length of the whole body is up to 32 cm, the small head is quite corresponding in size, the eyes are white, the beak is short, the developed chest has a dent in the center. Folded wings almost reach the tip of the tail, dense feathers, various colors of plumage: black, yellow, red, less often white.
Ease of care
End pigeons can be bred even by amateurs, and not only by professional pigeon breeders. It's all about their unpretentiousness: they can adapt to any living conditions. Even the harsh climate is not a hindrance for them. They grow and develop rapidly. Also, food does not matter for these pigeons and they are very fertile, albeit overly temperamental.
It is important to start training young animals on time. Experts advise doing this from 6 weeks, persistently and regularly, preferably in the morning. But for night flights, you need to train the flyers separately. Even if adverse weather conditions force them to move far enough away from home, they can still return in a couple of days.
As with other breeds of pigeons, the dovecote room should be spacious and clean, without dampness and drafts. For the winter, care should be taken to place males and females separately from each other, and only in February can they be combined. Then chicks will appear in the middle of spring. Food should be given 2 times a day and it is better if it is enriched with mineral supplements.
Monitor the health of birds
End pigeons suffer from certain infectious diseases. If any oddities in behavior appear, it is advisable to contact a veterinarian, and not try to treat yourself. The specialist will competently select both the drugs and the correct dosage. Untimely treatment will lead to the death of birds. Among the main symptoms are lethargy, indigestion, disorientation of movements and seizures. It will become noticeable how strange they fly or even refuse to do it.
Healthy and well-kept individuals soar in the sky at an insane speed and fascinate observers. The flight of this pigeon is unique and it is worth seeing it at least once in your life, even if in a photo.