Ferals are the baseline pigeon: the closest to the wild type we can get, with the highest, most rapidly adaptable intelligence.
A mate will be found for May by the end of this year, so that I can devote 2027 to the physiological, cognitive, and social development of the offspring of Feral pigeons.
I plan to select my purebred breeding pairs from two different breeders instead of getting a pair from a single breeder, to ensure that I am looking at the development of the breed in their offspring, not a single family.
2028 will be devoted to Racing Homers: The single most physically fit breed with the strongest immune system and second highest intelligence, certainly the highest of any breed in human care.
Racers build especially easily on the knowledge of prior generations because of their exceptionally long memory.
Their high intelligence and the task of navigating hundreds of miles unsupervised fostered a unique capability for decision making independent of their care taker.
They build extremely stable habits, but once those habits are formed, they really struggle to change them, even with the addition of new information.
2029 will be devoted to the Birmingham Roller, a small breed which preforms in a group directly over the breeder's loft.
Contrary to popular belief, the Rolling and Tumbling behavior (they are only differentiated by the number of revolutions: Three or fewer is a tumble. Five or more is a roll.) is not a siezure.
It is claimed to be that because anti seizure medication erases the impulse.
But seizures are, definitionally, involuntary.
Tumbling and Rolling is entirely voluntary, more accurately compared to Stimming, which is also curbed by seizure medicine.
Tumbling, and, by extension, rolling, is an excited/happy stim, so the rollers and tumblers tend towards an exuberant, playful nature.
Birmingham Rollers are the second most commonly flown breed, with a much closer relationship to their flyers than Racers have to theirs.
Roller and Tumbler Fliers watch their kits carefully, using the call for feeding time to bring the birds in at the sight of a hawk or approach of a storm.
Over several generations, this has resulted in the rollers and tumblers being extremely biddable breeds!
Over the next few years, I will be going through a number of Tumbler breeds to compare and contrast service potential.
2030 will be devoted to the Potuguese Tumbler.
Ports are especially jubilant, jaunty little birds with a fantastic temperament, but one flaw that may make service work difficult for purebreds:
Their breed standard requires them to stand on tiptoe, with their back toe raised off the ground.
It makes them physically unstable, so they don't like to sit still.
When mixed with other breeds, the offspring will stand comfortably flat, so I considered them worth blending for their temperament alone.
2031 will be focused on the Turkish Takla, a tumbler breed flown very close to the ground, known for executing perfect backflips about a foot or two off of it.
These birds stand very upright and come in clean headed, clean legged, crested, tufted, grouse muffed, and any combination of those traits.
They have no standard for appearance because they are bred exclusively for their very unique performance.
The Turkish Takla is not related to the Parlor Roller or Parlor Tumbler, and is perfectly capable of normal flight.
2032 will focus on the West Of England Tumbler.
Wests are not flown in the US, having transitioned from performance breed fully to Exhibition breed.
They are practically famous for their exceptionally sweet, mellow temperament.
2033 will focus on the Archangel, a color/field breed that Pigeon Trix really changed my mind on when he added them to his project selecting for intelligence.
It will be interesting to see if Archangels in the US have the intelligence of their UK cousins.
Starting in 2034, our focus will shift to exhibition breeds selected for their temperaments.
Beginning with the Show Line Danzig Highflyer.
Flying line birds are skittish and mistrustful, but birds from exhibition lines are not only known to be exceptionally human focused, but in my experience have very reliably passed on that very friendly human focus.
They are also exceptionally soft, producing far less dust than other breeds.
in 2035, I'll be delighted to have another pair of Frillbacks.
This breed rivals the Danzig for very mellow, sweet temperament that they pass on very strongly to mixed breed offspring.
Frillbacks are very large, but not very heavy: lean and long bodied with very long flights.
2036 will be the Lahore year.
Lahore are a fascinating breed; fearlessly bold and opinionated to the point of combativeness!
But deeply devoted, if they like you.
Offspring with other breeds pass on that fearless boldness, usually in the form of intense curiosity.
2037 will be devoted to the American Show Racer: An offshoot of the Racing Homer developed to convey the steadfast Power of messengers who could travel hundreds of miles at over 60mph for as long as they was light to see by, mythologising it in the form of this stocky, muscular breed.
The ASR is not a performance breed, exclusively shown rather than flown.
Because the showmen want an unflappable air of power, this bird's temperament is exceptionally mellow and trusting, not spooking easily and moving through life like they own what every room they set foot in.
2038 will focus on the Show Type Racing Homer
This offshoot of the Racing Homer is devoted to the Racer's Aerodynamic Elegance: described as being one continuous, streamlined, elegant curve from beak to tail tip.
Like the ASR's depiction of power, the STRH air of Elegance requires that they be very docile birds, not prone to easily spook.
2039 will focus on the Lucerne, a gorgeous Swiss Owl breed with a slender build and very streamlined face.
This exhibition breed is so exceptionally tractable that even individuals who hated me with the passionate heat of a thousand suns were still perfectly willing to be picked up and held and cooperate with anything I needed them to do.
2040 will be devoted to my absolute favorite purebred: The Classic Frill.
If I could only ever work with a single breed of pigeon for the rest of my life, it would be these. I have such deep and abiding love for them.
The Classic Frill is a return to form from the beakless horrors that are the Modern and Oriental Frills to the original breed standard of the Turkish Hunkari: which was commissioned by a Sultan of bygone years past as a palace decoration.
Their breed standard states that the bird should never be unable to feed its own young because the beak has been bred too short.
Not only are they structurally sound, small, easily managed, and gorgeous, most have a naturally very trusting, sweet temper, easy to handle, and typically bond very closely to their people.
2041 could go one of several ways, but I think I should focus on the Garden Fantail first.
This is the progenitor Fantail, whose only mutations are an upturned tail and twice the normal amount of tail feathers.
They are still very structurally sound, fully flight capable, and healthy overall, with a reputation for calm tractability.
2042 will complete our 16 bird blend with the only breed included purely for its embellishments: the Old Dutch Capuchin
The ones I have worked with have been extremely flighty, but that may well have been one family with bad temperament.
I need to take a serious look into them to both give them a fair, detailed assessment, and make sure they are actually fit for the project.
In 2043, if the breed still exists by then, the American Fantasy might be a good alternative to look into for the Old Dutch Capuchin.
It's a structurally sound cross between the Jacobin and Indian Fantail, and after looking into both, I'll work with which ever has the better temperament and learns more easily.
Though I prefer the Garden Fantail, they are very difficult to find in the US.
The Indian would be a second choice.
If I can find Gardens, 2044 will be devoted to the Indian, for a contrast in soundness and temperament.
Over these next nearly 2 decades, the breeds list may narrow, depending on the suitability of the breeds for the program and the adaptability of my training and seamstressing to those breeds I have made up my mind to research in depth.
Hopeful clients interested in any of these breeds, you now know what year to plan around.
Keep in mind, only four offspring will be produced per year, during this research phase.
Breeders who are interested in the project, I would be happy to discuss a paid breeding loan, where your bird will be returned to you at the end of their year.
For all your support and the clarity your questions have brought me, I thank you all sincerely.
