This page and the
others like it are designed
for one
thing only - to provide common pigeon hobby names for many of
the colors and
patterns that pigeons come in. I'm making no effort here to
discuss their genetics. This is simply for fanciers, young and
old, who may be new to the pigeon hobby and who simply want to know
"What color is my
bird?"
Remember, while I'm giving the most common names used in the North American hobby, that different breeds may have their own special terminology for a color -- some of these terms go back centuries and they are part and parcel of the hobby and a lot of fun in their own right. There are also some minor differences in spelling between the U.S., U.K. and Australia. For example: checker = chequer, but those are easily understood. Here, I'm just going to be using the names most often used to describe Birmingham Rollers and/or Racing Homers since those are two of the most common breeds raised.
Remember, while I'm giving the most common names used in the North American hobby, that different breeds may have their own special terminology for a color -- some of these terms go back centuries and they are part and parcel of the hobby and a lot of fun in their own right. There are also some minor differences in spelling between the U.S., U.K. and Australia. For example: checker = chequer, but those are easily understood. Here, I'm just going to be using the names most often used to describe Birmingham Rollers and/or Racing Homers since those are two of the most common breeds raised.
All the birds shown
below are Birmingham Rollers
White bred by
J. P. Isom
Tortoiseshell bred
by J. P. Isom (if this was a Racing
Homer it would be called Dark Grizzle)
Red Mottle bred by
J. P. Isom (this is a recessive red
mottle)
Red Bellneck bred by J. P. Isom
Red Beard bred by J. P. Isom
(in pigeons, the white mark under the chin like this is known as a "beard")
Dark red check bred by J. P. Isom
(because this particular bird also has the black marks on its feathers, we know that it carries blue as well)
Red Bellneck bred by J. P. Isom
Red Beard bred by J. P. Isom
(in pigeons, the white mark under the chin like this is known as a "beard")
Dark red check bred by J. P. Isom
(because this particular bird also has the black marks on its feathers, we know that it carries blue as well)