# What variety of Egyptian Swift?



## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

Can anyone tell me what variety these two Egyptian Swifts are? They were given to me about 11 months ago to be used as pumpers for my Old Dutch Capuchines and I always wanted to know what exactly they were but could never find an exact match. I didn't intend to use them as pumpers at first but the female ES never laid any eggs so I gave her another pair's eggs and she claimed them as hers right away. I have a feeling that they are crossbreds of two different varieties but am not 100% sure. So...tell me what you think.


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## Pip Logan (Oct 6, 2009)

I have no idea but their Realy cool looking!!!!!!


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## ThePoultryFarm (Oct 1, 2010)

I have never kept them before, so I wouldn't know, but I didn't know that Old Dutch Capuchines needed pumpers. I would have thought their beaks would be long enough?


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## bradish (Sep 25, 2010)

oooo...i really like them, very pretty!


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

arherp said:


> I have never kept them before, so I wouldn't know, but I didn't know that Old Dutch Capuchines needed pumpers. I would have thought their beaks would be long enough?


Their beaks are long enough to feed their young and I do let them rear their young but they are slow producers so I steal some of their eggs once in a while to give the Egyptian Swifts a job to do. I have only done this two times in the 11 months I've had them so it doesn't lower the calcium in the Capuchines themselves. Thank you all for the nice comments.


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## ThePoultryFarm (Oct 1, 2010)

Ahh, gothcha. Thanks!


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

They look nice. It kind of looks like almond or something. Are pumpers basically fosters?


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

ValencianFigs said:


> They look nice. It kind of looks like almond or something. Are pumpers basically fosters?


Yes pumpers are like fosters. You just put the eggs or babies you want them to hatch or feed and they will do exactly that (most of the time anyway). Although you do have to be careful when you put eggs or babies younger than seven days old because if they don't have any crop milk in their system than the peeper's chances of survival are greatly lowered. That is why you have to be careful at what stage you give the eggs to the pumpers. I personally wouldn't give them any eggs that have been incubated for longer than three days to them to make sure that they are able to produce the crop milk on time.


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

Lol. The term is really weird. I thought pumpers where machines that you put hand feeding stuff in (i feel retarded) and it puts the milk in the pigeon.


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## Ross Howard (Nov 26, 2009)

*Swifts*

There called Reehanis


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

Ross Howard said:


> There called Reehanis


I think you might be right. What I've been looking at are these type of Rehanis. But now that I've researched them further I've found that Dennis Kuhn has some that are almost exactly like mine right here. I e-mailed him asking him what exactly they are so now I'm just waiting for a response but I think you are absolutely correct in them being Rehanis. They might just be the flying variety.


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

ValencianFigs said:


> Lol. The term is really weird. I thought pumpers where machines that you put hand feeding stuff in (i feel retarded) and it puts the milk in the pigeon.


 I wish it was really that easy to hand feed baby pigeons. Then I wouldn't have to worry about them ever being hungry. But don't feel dumb. I'm sure pumpers that do that will be made in a few years with the way technology is advancing these days. Then, maybe in a few decades we will all be replaced by robots.


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

Lol it would make the job really easy for people.


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

johnny9580 said:


> I think you might be right. What I've been looking at are these type of Rehanis. But now that I've researched them further I've found that Dennis Kuhn has some that are almost exactly like mine right here. I e-mailed him asking him what exactly they are so now I'm just waiting for a response but I think you are absolutely correct in them being Rehanis. They might just be the flying variety.



Woah!!!! Rehanis look really nice  How much do these birds cost? And how big? Would they do well with figs?


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

Could they be a mix? Because reading the description of the ES types it has the short beak of a Rehani, but the coloration of an Otati.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

I have a pair that look just like the one on the left. The cock bird is a lot larger than the hen and they look like Coopers Hawks from a distance. Especially the bigger cock bird.

I got them from a man who had about a hundred of them in cages at a flea market in Ohio. They were all the same coloration and structure. I doubt they are a cross breed.

The only thing he told us were that they were Egyptian Swifts. He was selling them for $10 bucks a pair but gave us a deal of 2 pair for ten bucks. I'm still trying to get a phone number for this guy, to inquire about more. I am sure he will be at this same flea market next spring. It is only held three times a year.

They fly really high but don't fly often. We bought them because they look like Coopers and thought just maybe it would scare the Coopers. But alas, it didn't work. Lost a pigeon last week. I had them out just before sunset and was babysitting them. But forgot (getting senile you know) to lock up after they went in. So they were out before I awoke the next morning and one was missing. A young unbanded bird that I rescued from another flyer who was going to cull it because it was an accident.


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

ValencianFigs said:


> Woah!!!! Rehanis look really nice  How much do these birds cost? And how big? Would they do well with figs?


They are a little bit bigger than homers and are a really placid breed. They are the only pair out of my 30 or so pairs that don't try to fight or take any other nest so I am sure that they will do fine with your figs if you decide to buy some.


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

conditionfreak said:


> I have a pair that look just like the one on the left. The cock bird is a lot larger than the hen and they look like Coopers Hawks from a distance. Especially the bigger cock bird.
> 
> I got them from a man who had about a hundred of them in cages at a flea market in Ohio. They were all the same coloration and structure. I doubt they are a cross breed.
> 
> ...


Sorry to hear you lost a bird and I can't believe you got them that cheap. The man who I got them from only gave me the pair because the female wasn't laying (as I found out later [and there I was thinking I was special]). He told me he sells them for about $50 a pair in the pigeon shows and was also the one who told me they scare away the hawks when they are let loose but there goes his theory. Good thing I found out from you before I let mine out.


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

ValencianFigs said:


> Could they be a mix? Because reading the description of the ES types it has the short beak of a Rehani, but the coloration of an Otati.


I'm still waiting for Dennis Kuhn to e-mail me so I could be 100% sure what they are but they seem to be Rehanis. In his website Rehanis are described as: "their bronze and yellow necks distinguish this group. Beaks are short, obtuse and spindly".


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

johnny9580 said:


> I'm still waiting for Dennis Kuhn to e-mail me so I could be 100% sure what they are but they seem to be Rehanis. In his website Rehanis are described as: "their bronze and yellow necks distinguish this group. Beaks are short, obtuse and spindly".


Their look the same body wise, but when you look at Rehanis, they are darker in color and their "collar" are more distinguishable. I hope he e-mails you soon. I am kind of wondering what they are. Oh and about the hawk theory. Maybe they scare away smaller hawks like red tailed hawks?


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## NewHopePoultry (Feb 7, 2010)

They are very pretty


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

ValencianFigs said:


> Their look the same body wise, but when you look at Rehanis, they are darker in color and their "collar" are more distinguishable. I hope he e-mails you soon. I am kind of wondering what they are. Oh and about the hawk theory. Maybe they scare away smaller hawks like red tailed hawks?


Are there bigger hawks in Virgina than Red Tails? Those are the biggest here southern Ohio by far.


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

ValencianFigs said:


> Their look the same body wise, but when you look at Rehanis, they are darker in color and their "collar" are more distinguishable. I hope he e-mails you soon. I am kind of wondering what they are. Oh and about the hawk theory. Maybe they scare away smaller hawks like red tailed hawks?


Well I finally got a response and they are not what what anybody though. They are called Azrak Katifa (Blue Velvet) Egyptian Swifts. Here is a link to the standards of the Blue Velvets. I'm planning to get more now that I know what they are called. Aside from that I put two chicken eggs under them 21 days ago and one is starting to hatch right now as I write this. I will hopefully have some pics up soon if nothing goes wrong while it's hatching.

Edit: I am sorry to say that the chick came out premature and will most likely not make it but I'm still trying to save it if I can. Maybe it will turn out better for the other egg still under incubation under the hen.


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## dewlap1 (Nov 28, 2009)

What you have my friend are Azrak-Katifa or as they are called here in the states Blue Velvets.
Reehani swifts are deep black with only a gold collar on the neck. There is a sub-group of the reehani that is close to the blue velvet. It is called Gazgandi. These two groups should not be bred together. I would be breeding them then maybe use as feeders. I do.


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

conditionfreak said:


> Are there bigger hawks in Virgina than Red Tails? Those are the biggest here southern Ohio by far.



I am sorry. I said it wrong. Coopers are smaller.


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

dewlap1 said:


> What you have my friend are Azrak-Katifa or as they are called here in the states Blue Velvets.
> Reehani swifts are deep black with only a gold collar on the neck. There is a sub-group of the reehani that is close to the blue velvet. It is called Gazgandi. These two groups should not be bred together. I would be breeding them then maybe use as feeders. I do.


Thank you for your response but you should have came earlier. Just look at the post above yours. Do you have any pictures of the gazgandis? I can't seem to find any on the web and am interested on how they look.


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

Do these birds have homing abilitys?


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

ValencianFigs said:


> Do these birds have homing abilitys?


From what I've read in PigeonNews.com the flying variety of egyptian swifts have a "tested homing ability in the US for up to 50 miles".


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

Oh ok that is good. It could never hurt to have a pair with homers if it might scare hawks away.


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

ValencianFigs said:


> Oh ok that is good. It could never hurt to have a pair with homers if it might scare hawks away.


That's great. Keep us updated if you ever do get a pair. And if you are having a real hawk problem then you should try pigeon whistles put on some of your birds. Because they are so loud the hawks wont try to get near them but that also might be a problem if you have some neighbors who like peace and quiet.


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

I will definitely get some when I build my big loft and have a few homers. I only have valencian figuritas so I have no hawk problems. Except that one time with the aviary hole. They do look at my birds every single day. They just look at the loft like how am I going to get in there. Lol


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

Do they need pumpers?


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

ValencianFigs said:


> Do they need pumpers?


I think only the safi egyptian swifts need pumpers. All others are fine on their own. But if someone knows better than me please correct me if I'm wrong.


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

Yeah because looking at some pics they have african owl like beaks and in other pics they have normal owl like beaks.


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