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Racing pigeons or homing pigeons are an overarching theme for this bird

Racing pigeons or homing pigeons are a symbol of loyalty to the homeland and one of the signs of God Almighty in His creation. No matter how far they are from their home, you will find them falling back to it despite all the circumstances they face. They are more like live navigation tools, and even better than many navigation tools made by man so far.

Racing pigeons were used in the beginning as a postman between cities and even in wars to convey news and continued to be improved until today it has become a hobby that attracts millions of bird lovers around the world.

Racing pigeons or homing pigeons

The origin of the racing pigeon

Racing pigeons descend from some breeds that were used in war, which in turn descend from domesticated pigeons that originate from mountain pigeons. Selection and continuous training, in addition to improving breeding, have brought racing pigeons to what they are now. The finest types of pigeons have been selected and mated. With birds with high characteristics, the matter reached what it is now, and racing pigeons were used for the first time for military purposes in 24 BC. Thus, the transition from what was previously called mail pigeons to racing pigeons is now.

How do racing pigeons find their way?

Yes, this question was and still baffles many. Despite the change in the atmosphere and places, and no matter how far away or strange the place of its release is, you will find it returning to its home accurately and at a speed that may sometimes reach 140 km / h. Accordingly, many theories have been put forward, such as its use of smell. And there is another theory that says that it uses the magnetic fields of the earth to direct it by using some concentrated iron particles in its beaks, and some say that because of its ability to hear ultrasound waves that come from almost everything, including the oceans and the earth's crust, it uses them in navigation Also, and there are those who added that it uses the sun, stars, and landmarks to determine its paths, but everyone agrees that racing pigeons have extraordinary navigational capabilities that were bestowed upon them by God Almighty.

What are the specifications and types of racing pigeons?

The racing pigeon has a distinctive streamlined shape and structure that helps it greatly in penetrating the air at great speeds with the use of the least effort from it, and its beak and nostrils help it breathe the air comfortably because it slows down the speed of the air that enters with great force, but what makes the racing pigeons with these high capabilities is a group One of the things that unite with each other to give us this perfect mixture for racing. Firstly, its size and consistency of its feathers make it a streamlined mass that achieves less air resistance. Secondly, the shoulder and chest muscles, which are large in size and have high strength, allowing them to flutter and fly long distances and at great speeds. Without getting tired, and last but not least, its wings, which are considered the main engine for it, it is specially designed to fly at high speeds, but what is distinctive about it is that its shape differs according to the type of pigeons, and we can determine the capabilities of the latter of them to be divided as follows:

Homing pigeons are divided into 3 types, “dividing the breeds according to the distances they travel.”

Racing pigeons that run short distances

It is characterized by its very high speed, but with relatively low carrying capacity, such as the Arandunic Genesis, the Van Lawn, and the Di Clak.

Long-distance racing pigeons

It is distinguished by its steady speed of some kind and its great endurance, such as Jean Arden, Tournier, Fembre, Anna, Mueller, Van der Wegen, Capers, Van Bruen, Kirk Patrick, Hawkes van Riel.

Middle distance racing pigeon

Which is a mixture between long-distance and short-distance characteristics, such as Van Reed, Delbar, Marc Bolan, etc.

Breeding racing pigeons:

Racing pigeons lunch

As everyone knows, nutrition is the foundation and mainstay for preserving the health and activity of birds, as well as increasing their physical fitness. The more balanced and varied the lunch, the better quality racing pigeons will be obtained and ready to bear the hardships of the road. Therefore, you should always monitor the quality of lunch and its variety according to seasons and climate. To the exerted effort, because each stage “race, processing or production” requires obtaining a certain amount of minerals, vitamins and carbohydrates in addition to protein, which is what you will find in the varied lunch. It was diverse and of high quality, so it was better, and among the most important seasons on which racing pigeons fed were wheat, barley, corn, millet, peas, lentils, wheat, oats, sorghum, safflower, in the role of sunflower, rice, in the role of cabbage … There is also Ready mixes are sold in bird stores and to provide the necessary salts such as calcium by providing crushed squid shells + squid bone and sand in addition to small pebbles, and we do not forget the necessary fresh water as well.

Note: Some other nutrients such as garlic, onions and honey are also provided, which are placed in mixtures whose percentage varies from one breeder to another according to the place where he lives and the conditions provided for his birds.

Training young racing pigeons

Or rather, select the best racing pigeons.. The young are allowed to fly at the age of 5 weeks, then they will have ready feathers and a structure prepared for this stage, but it is necessary to pay attention to some things, such as not being released while they are not hungry, so it is advised to starve them a little and release them with The main squadron. And then your only task is to notice it, and after a period not exceeding 15 minutes, call for food to come to the swarm, and here the first selection processes take place. The birds that react to this and keep only the young that return without hesitation to their loft, continue in this case for a period of no less than 8 weeks in order for the young racing pigeons to get used to their home and to get to know well the areas surrounding their wires, and here without any form you have excluded some The elements that fall away and keep the best birds after the end of this basic step. After that, you must expand the distances that the birds travel, and this is done by gradually taking them to distant areas to train.

The first time, the distance does not exceed 1 km, and the release takes place collectively, after which you take each bird separately and release it from a different direction (and of course, make notes regarding each bird, such as its speed and response to the process).

After two or three days, extend the distance to 5 kilometers, and as usual, at the beginning, release them collectively, and after that, release them individually, and repeat the process in the four directions for a week, leaving room for the birds to rest.

Then the distance is extended to 10 km, where the birds are taken in the early morning and released together the first time to get used to the presence of many pigeons as in the races, and in the second and third times each one is released individually (one after the other) while taking notes such as the speed of arrival, how aviation etc..

It continues to extend the distance 15 >> 25 >> 35 until it reaches 100 km. It is fired individually the first and second times, and the third time it is launched together.

The distances have been extended beyond what you intend to participate in in the races, and it is also important that the training curve be identical to the race curve or as close to it as possible.

note :

Use cages specially prepared for transporting racing pigeons, and avoid closed boxes or cartons, as it negatively affects their performance. Also, do not make them overcrowded, so that the birds get used to stability and not quarrels, and give them some space to rest.

The birds are accustomed to feeding inside the transport cages and sleeping inside them

Do not release the birds immediately after their ban, but leave them room to rest and get used to the new atmosphere.

Always write down all phases of training and schedule them so that they do not deplete the racing pigeon's energy.

Nomenclature of racing pigeons:

Arabic: mail pigeon, racing pigeon

English: Homing pigeon, Pigeon racing

French: Pigeon voyageur

Scientific name: Columba livia domestica

I hope that the topic will be comprehensive and useful, and we apologize for the prolongation because of our desire for the topic to be sufficient and complete and remove confusion or ambiguity in many stages of the life of this type of bird.