# My pigeons



## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

http://mypigeons.pigeonworldwide.com 

Hope you enjoy my pigeons!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Well, thank you for sharing your pictures. What a nice coop, looks like some beautiful craftsmanship! 

The pigeons look very cozy and comfortable. Do they speak Dutch? (Just kidding...)

Treesa


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Looks like your guys have a real pigeon palace! Thanks for the pictures .. the birds are beautiful.

Terry


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## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

Treesa,

There are also probably some that speak Belgium. lol The pure black pigeon was a feral from Eindhoven which I adopted in 2001. The White-Red pigeon came to my friends house about 2 weeks ago, and i got it. I contacted the owner, and he had lost it about 1 year ago, so he didn't want it anymore. I'll post some more images soon!!!


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## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

I still need to make some photo's of my Old German Owls, a couple more Homers, a portuguese tumbler, a kazan, a taganrog and a Rostov.

H


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Looking forward to seeing more!
Treesa


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## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

*bumping up* - added some new photo's - 3 pages - Last photo is big, and will most probably take up all your screen!! By the way, for the people who don't recognise the last pigeon on the photo, its a Tula ribbontail turmani - Russian pigeon breed (ancestor of the Rzhev tumbler). Pure white bird and red with white dot bird are both Portuguese tumblers. Bluebar show pigeon with feathers on feet is a faulty Kazan (bad tail, rarely lifts it). Hope you enjoy the photo's!!

Sam

-- http://mypigeons.pigeonworldwide.com 

[This message has been edited by Pigeonworldwide (edited February 02, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by Pigeonworldwide (edited February 02, 2004).]


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Your fancy pigeons are neat, I like the Tularribon tail, and the white pigeon, and one looks like an Oriental Frill, white with blue and grey bars-is that the faulty Kazan? 

I'd like to order two of each, please..

Thanks for sharing... Treesa


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## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

The White bluebar pigeon is a Old German Owl. The Kazan with the faulty tail is a full bluebar (the only one with the feathers on the feat). It doesn't really look that much like a kazan because of the tail. The Dark red pigeon with the upright tail is a better example of a Kazan, although that bird needs a bit more feathers on its feet. The tula ribbontail is the only one in Holland at the moment (and its mine







) I want to import some rare russian breeds to Holland soon in the near future. The Tula Ribbontail isn't known yet in Holland, but they are in Germany. The Tula ribbontail turmani is a great flying breed, and in Russia, people mostly fligh them in groups of 3.


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## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

Just for the people who are intrested, here's an article written by K.D. Spurling about various turmani breeds. Very intresting!


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## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

Sorry about that - forgot the article

The Turmani
By K.D. Spurling

The Turmani are one of the oldest established groups of Russian pigeons and by far the most unique family of breeds in Russia, in that simliar breeds do not exist elsewhere in the world despite the fact that the Turmani are a part of the great collective of over 650 Tumbling and Highflying breeds worldwide. Relatively little is known about the history of the Turmani prior to about 1550 A.D., except that several distinct breeds of Turmani had already been in existance in Western Russia for at least 200 years by that time.

There are several theories regarding the origin and introduction of Turmani into Russia . The first and most popular theory states that Turmani as a family had their origins in the general area of Afghanistan a millenia ago and were introduced to Western Russia by Persian traders centuries ago. Past writers have documented this ancestorial breed as "Turmani Afghan" and the pigeons are described as being typical of most Turmani and bred primarily in Black Pegije markings. However, to date, this assumed ancestorial breed has yet to surface in Afghanistan . It could be argued by some, that the Taliban, whose power in Afghanistan at this writing is being uprooted, destroyed the Afghan Turmani in the 1990's along with breeds like the Afghan Highflier when their group began to perform a politically motivated genocide on Domestic Pigeons in the country. It could also be argued that Afghanistan 's war and occupation by Soviet Russia could have easily destroyed such a breed. The fact still remains, however, that this alleged ancestor has never actually been documented in Afghanistan at any time in the past in either authentic photographs or written literature and we can assume that the idea of Afghan Turmani is purely a myth and the result of someone's imagination. Another theory states that Turmani are really a Turkish breed and that the Ottomann introduced this breed into Western Russia, but while many Russian breeds are genuine descendents of Turkish breeds, a Turmani-like breed has not yet surfaced in modern day Turkey, nor has one ever been documented. The third theory stresses an idea that is the most logical and this theory states that the Turmani actually originated in the vicinity of modern day republics of Georgia , Azerbaijan and Armenia and were introduced into Western Russia by traders and the movements of people. This theory is the most logical simply due to the fact that Turmani have existed in some relatively large numbers in Georgia and Azerbaijan for at least several centuries and in addition, Russians have had communications with that particular region long before they were absorbed by Imperialist Russia.

Organized Turmani breeding has existed in Moscow under accepted physical and aerial ideals spanning as far back as to the period of approximately 1580 A.D. In those days, the Bojaren gathered together on a regular basis as an organized society to evaluate vast numbers of Turmani which were being flown in and around Moscow . Flown three Turmani at a time from small wooden boxes, the birds were evaluated by a panel of judges based upon the ideals listed above. Exclusive exhibitions (shows) were also held amongst this group. During the reign of the Tsar - Liberator Alexander I, as part of the freeing of the the Russian vassalage, these actrivities became open to all. This is despite the misconception of the Westerner who assumes that because so little news is shared outside of Russia or other portions of the world, that the Westerner "invented" the gears of modern animal breeding in the form of the exhibition, both for conformation and performance. What is known is this: it is generally assumed that the West's organized breeding of animals originated with Western nobility, in particular with the British. Yet when one studies this history, they will discover that even the earliest Western organization for pigeons did not exist until after Russian Bojaren forged a friendship with Western nobility, bringing in their tow, not only gifts of stock, but the very concept of serious animal breeding for other than utility usage.

By Western classifications, Turmani, in particular the Rzhev Turmani, have always been regarded as Tumblers which has been much to the downfall of Turmani in America due to fanciers "encouraging" tumbling and rolling, often through breed crossing. The reality is that Turmani are actually Turmani, having no equiviliant or classification outside of Russia . In this sense, they are neither Tumblers, nor Highfliers, much in the same way as the Tutcheresi races, but a seperate branch of the Tumbler/Highflier family. Any mode of tumbling in any Turmani breed would be regarded as a damning aerial fault and it cannot be disputed that many inferior specimens that fit this mould are cultivated not only in the United States and Canada, but also in Germany, and even within the very heart of Moscow by the backyard keepers who know no better despite 600 to 800 years of strict aerial culture to an organized aerial standard for Turmani. By this standard, a true Turmani should hover slightly in place, its wings flashing straight up over its head and its vivid tail spread wide and flashing back and forth. In fact, no other class of pigeons has been cultivated and judged in the air to a set standard for as such a consecutive period of time as the Turmani.

Physically, the Turmani are relatively easily identified from other groups of breeds by their form. The two primary hallmarks of Turmani breeds include long sweeping backs with their wings carried below or on the sides of the tail and in most cases, a boney, squarish head with rounding edges. In Russia , this square, boney head is reffered to as the "dry" head.

Throughout Western Russia , the Turmani are not only prestigious, but compose some of Russia 's most popular and respected breeds. In this particular chapter, the writer has chosen to depict ten of the approximately thirty breeds of Turmani bred in Russia .
Several are well known, while others are obscure and although they make up only about one third of the family, this writer feels they are among the most representetive of the Turmani family.


The Rzhev Turmani
(Rzhevski KrasnoPegije Turmani)

Worldwide, the Rzhev Turmani is not only the most widely cultivated pigeon breed of Russian origin, but also the best known. With enthusiastic breeders in Russia , the Ukrain, Moldavia , Latvia , White Russia , Lithuania , Poland , Romania , Germany , Hungary , the Netherlands , Denmark , the UK , Canada , the United States and elsewhere, there are more Rzhev Turmani bred worldwide than any other East European pigeon breed. Despite this, the breed is not well understood outside of Russia .

The Rzhev Turmani takes its name from the citty of Rzhev which is situated roughly 50 miles outside of Moscow . Historically, the Rzhev Turmani is one of, if not the oldest Turmani breed still in existence today and it is the theory of many of us, that the Rzhev Turmani is representetive as the basis of all Turmani breeds in Western Russia . This theory is based largely upon the breed's widespread popularity, its historical fame, historical documentation and also in the fact that the Rzhev Turmani is among the least extreme of all Turmani breeds and has changed little, if at all, over the last 700 years.

The Rzhev Turmani is a small pigeon of more or less classic lines. The head is semi squarish with rounded corners and is always free of a crest. Historically, crested specimens have been photographed and depicted in life, but nearly all of these crested birds have shown more of a Moscow Red Pegije Turmani influence and are likely crosses between the breeds of Rzhev and Moscow . The eyes are of a bull color and should be large and expressive. The beak is medium-short, downset, rather thick and of a flesh color. The neck is medium in length and attaches to a long sweeping back which merges into a long tail of 12 to 16 retrices. The tail is carried somewhat uplifted at an approximate 45 degree angle. The wings are long and are carried below the tail with the tips nearly touching the ground. The legs and toes are short and thick and are always free of feathers.

The colors and markings of the Rzhev Turmani are one of the most misunderstood points of this breed and many Western writers and researchers have put forth much misinformation about this breed in regards to its colors and markings. On one hand, many writers have reported the existence of "Yellow Rzhev". Although Yellows of a Rzhev type certainly do exist, true Yellow Rzhev do not exist and this breed occurs only in red with pegije markings. This is indicated simply by the breed's Russian name: "Rzhevski KrasnoPegije Turmani" which translates to literally mean "Rzhev Red Magpied Turmani". Although yellow Turmani of this basic style do exist, they are actually classified as a seperate breed in the guise of Morshansk Turmani(Morshanski SchultoPegije Turmani). In addition, some writers have also reported Blacks and Blues, but these are of course, not colors found in this breed. Another fallacy is the idea that the Rzhev Turmani also exists in "Whiteflighted" and "Bib Marked" variations. This fallacy was formulated by the late Jerry Ryan of West Virginia , who in his time was a great promoter of the Rzhev breed in the United States . These two markings do not exist in this breed and are simply the result of the aforementioned breeder confusing other Turmani breeds, in particular, the Orlov Borodun Turmani, with the Rzhev Turmani. Another fallacy concerns the genetic nature of the red coloration in this breed. The Rzhev Turmani, as a rule, when bred in its highest state of quality is probably the darkest, richest red colored pigeon breed worldwide to the point of appearing so dark as to often appear black at first glance. Many writers and breeders instantly assume that due to the intense hue of the plumage, that this type of red is Recessive Red. The reality is that this type of red is actually an Ash-Red pigment type coupled with Turmani Bronze, which is a variation of the Lebanon Bronzing found in many members of the Tumbler family. Ash Red is a dominant pigment, where as Turmani Bronze is a recessive trait. When both of these traits both appear in a homozygous state, the result is a very intense red coloration with a heavy irridescent sheen on the plumage. Naturally, the presence of other modifying factors dulls this appearance, which often leads to one assuming that the red is recessive. In its ideal form, the Rzhevski Turmani is a very dark pigeon with a small white beard which encircles the cheeks and the eyes. The wings, belly (to about mid length of the breast) and legs are white providing a great contrast bewtween snow white and a very rich red. The back and support feathers (wedge) of the tail should also be colored and any mixing of white plumage in these areas is a great marking fault. Most strikingly, a white band appears in the tail that is edged at the tail tip by color. This white tail band is known as "Lentochnije" (ribboned) in Russia and is especially stunning in the air while the bird hovers in place and flashes its tail back and forth.

The Rzhev Turmani has an especially long history in North America and was first introduced to the continent by the late Igor Gagarin of California who had immigrated to the United States from Moscow in 1947. Despite the fact that the breed has existed in the country for such a long period, the breed has never quite caught on. Still, many fanciers have attempted to cultivate the breed to perfection, but soon give up in favor of breeding breeds which offer less challenges. Despite this, this writer bred the Rzhev Turmani in America for over a decade and became the only fancier outside of Russia to ever be awarded with the Ivan Bondarov Memorial Award For Turmani Excellence and is the only fancier worldwide to ever win this award more than one time, which he did in 1999, 2000 and 2001 in consecutive years. In fact, the writer's "Impreska" line of Rzhev Turmani also holds many worldwide production records for this breed and has produced more award winners in this breed than any line in history, including many pigeons which were exported back to associates in Russia . Consequently, although the culture of this breed in America has been hampered by much misinformation and very few long term breeders, the American bred Impreska line of Rzhev have earned a special niche in the culture of Russian pigeon breeding.


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## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

at http://www.pigeonworldwide.com/index.php?s=638892053f1684a252a7511b3f62da9c&showforum=3 you can view even more pigeon articles by K.D.Spurling and others. (there are 4 pages)


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thanks for sharing.. Treesa


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