# What are the characteristics of a super bird?



## toilco (Aug 1, 2008)

How can you spot a super bird? How do they perform? do these birds also lost during trainings? Do they also come late during trainings or they always come first? Do they able to find their home at 50 miles for the first toss? or what? im confuse


----------



## soymi69 (Nov 12, 2007)

Lineage! Not all raced birds can produce race birds, depending on your breeding. Not all lost birds are losers, take Surebet for example, he was late on a training toss and injured, when Victor Valenzuela saw him and called Mike Ganus about purchasing the bird, Surebet wasn't a champion bird but his lineage is good, then he proved that he is a good breeder. Hope this help.


----------



## toilco (Aug 1, 2008)

soymi69 said:


> Lineage! Not all raced birds can produce race birds, depending on your breeding. Not all lost birds are losers, take Surebet for example, he was late on a training toss and injured, when Victor Valenzuela saw him and called Mike Ganus about purchasing the bird, Surebet wasn't a champion bird but his lineage is good, then he proved that he is a good breeder. Hope this help.


thanks but im referring to super bird racers (not super birds as breeders)


----------



## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Look for the ones who win, win and win again, in good competition.


----------



## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

Tolico--what is the milage of most of your Races????
Your in the Philippines???? I'd think you are looking for Sprint birds.


----------



## toilco (Aug 1, 2008)

sky tx said:


> Tolico--what is the milage of most of your Races????
> Your in the Philippines???? I'd think you are looking for Sprint birds.


100 miles to 200miles in our club, others is 100 to 300miles but well known fanciers here said sprint, middle and long distance doesn't exist here because our country is mountainous and climate is different. so im confuse which one to follow the Belgian fanciers or our local fanciers. They always mix birds here, sprint to long distance, etc.... and many said our racing is the toughest. birds here must travel sea, mountains, and lots of hawks, sometimes windy in other place, also cloudy in others parts, sometimes shiny and very hot. most races here are 5 to 7 laps from different location, north,south, east or west at different distances from short to middle


----------



## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

"They" of course sometimes get lost during training. Just because it is a super racer, does not mean that a dove hunter can not shoot it, or a power line can not injure it (just like Sure Bet).

They will not always be the first home during training. Not even Secretariat won every race. Super racers are subject to injury, disease or whatever, just like average racers.

Some take a long time to develope (Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team). Some are very good immediately and it shows. A super racer is not first everytime it races. But it is "right there" in the top one percent most of the time. Is a bird a "super racer" if it wins five of eight races, and is in the top ten percent in the other three races?

But IMO, "super racers" are few and far between. There is a difference between a very good racer, an outstanding racer, and a "super" racer.


----------



## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

Just my opinion
For 100-200 mile race---you need a Sprint Bird.
Forget all the other problems--mountains-climates-Etc.
Feed them FLAX seed--makes them very slick-will take both hands to handle a bird.
The day of shipping--I'd feed them all the peanuts they want.....they need FAT food---They burn the FAT fo energy-and they need a FULL tank of fuel.
Give the bird a REASON to come home.
And I am most likely wrong AGAIN.


----------



## akbird (Apr 29, 2010)

I agree with Sky Tx. Proper nutrition is an essential. They need the energy to fly through all those conditions.


----------



## soymi69 (Nov 12, 2007)

toilco said:


> How can you spot a super bird? How do they perform? do these birds also lost during trainings? Do they also come late during trainings or they always come first? Do they able to find their home at 50 miles for the first toss? or what? im confuse


No one can answer this question, a bird wether its a good one or not will always rely on the fancier to provide them with proper nutrients and training, anybody can always says that they have the eye for it but when it comes to figuring out which bird is the best everyone will have to fall back on the racing crate. Most of the bird that win during the young and old bird season are not race the next year, they are mostly turn into a breeder to build another set of good racer, if you do race them again and got lost then you miss out on having a good breeder.


----------



## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

You can look/handle at your birds and know which one will be First back to your loft.
Not the race winner--but it may win.


----------



## lgfout (Feb 8, 2011)

To try to answer your question a a few words or paragraphs would not do justice to the subject matter, IMHO. If you really want to know then you should study and read from a variety of sources, including the knowledge of experienced and successful breeders here and other places. Especially the masters. One source I will give you is Steven Van Breeman because he is a noted and respected author who has a website with many articles to help those who want to expand their knowledge.

Hope these links work. the 2nd is a PDF FILE DOWNLOAD

http://www.stevenvanbreemen.nl/?Mini_Course_The_Art_of_Breeding:Part_1

http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&sqi=2&ved=0CCoQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stevenvanbreemen.nl%2F%3Fdownload%3DHints_for_mating_Breeding_and_Selection_-_S_VB.pdf&ei=FkFkTrCmBc6JrAeC7eGACg&usg=AFQjCNG7yrhV8YlHhtnyYRs4p57dP_dxgQ


----------



## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

toilco said:


> thanks but im referring to super bird racers (not super birds as breeders)


With out super breeders you may as well race rollers.
Dave


----------



## NayNay (Mar 16, 2011)

sky tx said:


> Just my opinion
> For 100-200 mile race---you need a Sprint Bird.
> Forget all the other problems--mountains-climates-Etc.
> Feed them FLAX seed--makes them very slick-will take both hands to handle a bird.
> ...


Sounds like good advise to me.................


----------



## jpsnapdy (Apr 4, 2010)

conditionfreak said:


> "They" of course sometimes get lost during training. Just because it is a super racer, does not mean that a dove hunter can not shoot it, or a power line can not injure it (just like Sure Bet).
> 
> They will not always be the first home during training. Not even Secretariat won every race. Super racers are subject to injury, disease or whatever, just like average racers.
> 
> ...


Secretariat, the horse?
Super racing pigeons are less prone to disease, provided all their requirements are met. They keep in shape, do not overeat, keep out of trouble, etc. are highly intelligent individuals and tell you what they need which translates as : you be a good fancier at least. No, I'm not delirious. Those who have owned any know what I'm talking about.
Also, chances to have one are almost nil if it doesn't run in the family...
With the rest I agree 100%.


----------



## jpsnapdy (Apr 4, 2010)

Crazy Pete said:


> With out super breeders you may as well race rollers.
> Dave


I + that! Lol!


----------



## West (Mar 29, 2009)

I don't know if I've ever had a super bird primarily because I just don't have the time to devote to finding each birds full potential, but my best birds seem to have great character. Look for birds with lots of intelligence and boldness. My best breeder cock has absolutely no fear of me and will pursue me out of his box if I check his eggs/babies. When I release him after handling he will sit/stand in my hand for a bit longer as if to say I'm not scared of you. My best YB this season was his daughter and she was the tamest bird in the loft and would attack me for peanuts. With that said you can have the most intelligent bird ever but if it doesn't have the physical makeup to carry it home it can't be a super bird, but often it's what is inside that makes a bird a champion.


----------



## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

jpsnapdy said:


> Secretariat, the horse?
> Super racing pigeons are less prone to disease, provided all their requirements are met. They keep in shape, do not overeat, keep out of trouble, etc. are highly intelligent individuals and tell you what they need which translates as : you be a good fancier at least. No, I'm not delirious. Those who have owned any know what I'm talking about.
> Also, chances to have one are almost nil if it doesn't run in the family...
> With the rest I agree 100%.


Of course the horse. Is there another? Is there a pigeon named Michael Jordan? Secretariat? (I guess I could name any pigeon I have, either).

The question was asked "how do you tell a super pigeon". Not how do you make a super pigeon. It has nothing to do with feed, fuel, training, health, injury, illness, looks, feel, wing shape or eyesign. The "how" is from the flying record. Period.

But the question is a dumb one. A super racer is obvious. It has a string of good finishes as long as your arm. If you think that anyone can pick one out, without knowing the race records, you are being fooled by that someone.

No one can go into my loft and pick out the best bird I have, without knowing something about my birds flying records. Unless it is a lucky pick. How many times has someone helped in basketing other flyers birds and said something like "this one will be your first bird home tomorrow", and when tomorrows race is over, that bird was the 8th bird home for that flyer?

Often I think. Heck, I know for a fact. I and others have done it often, and rarely are correct. I have witnessed it. But once in awhile someone gets it right. Lucky pick, I say.


----------



## jpsnapdy (Apr 4, 2010)

conditionfreak said:


> Of course the horse. Is there another? Is there a pigeon named Michael Jordan? Secretariat? (I guess I could name any pigeon I have, either).
> 
> The question was asked "how do you tell a super pigeon". Not how do you make a super pigeon. It has nothing to do with feed, fuel, training, health, injury, illness, looks, feel, wing shape or eyesign. The "how" is from the flying record. Period.
> 
> ...


Yeah! That's why pedigrees and log books are a must. Picking tomorrow's winner is somewhat easier if they are your birds, though not foolproof.


----------



## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

conditionfreak said:


> Of course the horse. Is there another? Is there a pigeon named Michael Jordan? Secretariat? (I guess I could name any pigeon I have, either).
> 
> The question was asked "how do you tell a super pigeon". Not how do you make a super pigeon. It has nothing to do with feed, fuel, training, health, injury, illness, looks, feel, wing shape or eyesign. The "how" is from the flying record. Period.
> 
> ...


 All very good and valid points. I have always been willing to hold out that there *may* be a very small handful of fanciers in the world which can point to that Super bird, BEFORE it has ever raced and say that is the one. But, it certainly is not me, nor anyone I have ever run into.

Many will pull on beaks and stare into eyes and try to make judgements based on all kinds of ideas, but I don't think anyone can say yep that is a Super...nope that is just average. Heck, if it was that easy, just imagine how easy this game would be if you could look at a 30 day old YB and say this is a Super, nope that one is just average, etc etc. Wouldn't be any need for races then, we could just show up at the club and the guy with the Super bird could be declared the winner, and then we could go home !


----------

