racer pigeons Doping

racer pigeons Doping

Doping in pigeon racing is the practice of giving performance-enhancing drugs to avian racers. The drugs are used to produce similar effects to those found in human athletes, building up muscle tissue and opening the respiratory tracts. In addition, corticosteroids can be used to delay moulting, allowing a bird to race late into a season.^[16]
In October 2013, blood samples from twenty Belgian pigeons were sent by the Pigeon Fanciers Association to South Africa for testing. This was the result of an exchange visit by the association to the National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa.^[17] While tests in Belgium had not found traces of any drugs the South African laboratory discovered that six samples contained unusual substances. Five samples were found to include traces of acetaminophen (paracetamol), a widely used over-the-counter analgesic (pain reliever) and antipyretic (fever reducer). The sixth sample was erroneously reported in the press as having shown indications of cocaine use, but the lab reported that it was indications of caffeine usage.^[18] As the samples were sent anonymously no action could be taken against the owners of any of the birds.^[19]
In 2001 a series of raids across 80 homes led to the confiscation of large quantities of illegal performance-enhancers.^[16]^[20] Currently, all race winners are tested and over 100 samples were collected and tested in 2013.
In 1995 the Belgian Ministry of Health mandated drug testing in order to protect the welfare of the birds.^[16] The sport's governing body was looking at the possibility of implementing new anti-doping rules for the sport prior to the commencement of the 2014 season.^[19]

racer pigeons Breeding

racer pigeons Breeding

Pigeons are sexually mature at about six months of age. However, fanciers will often wait until the pigeon is at least a few months older before breeding. A hen bird will usually only lay two eggs in a clutch, laid every other day, after which incubation begins. The incubation period is 17 days. Pigeon breeders are careful in selecting birds to pair together so as to continue improving the breed and gain a competitive edge. It is this selective breeding that has given rise to the racing pigeons of today, capable of finding their way home from over 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) away and flying at speeds in excess of 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph) with a tail wind but average 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph) on a calm day.^{[citation needed]} Hens are often capable of laying upwards of 12 eggs per year, and squabs usually leave the nest at approximately three to four weeks of age.

racer pigeons Hazards

racer pigeons Hazards

As pigeon racing takes place over great distances in the sky, instead of on a racetrack, there are many hazards that could befall a pigeon during racing as well as training. The main hazard encountered by racing pigeons is predation by birds of prey.^[11]^[12] The killing of valuable pigeons by wild predators has led to some pigeon fanciers being suspected of killing birds of prey such as falcons.^[13]
Another hazard that racing pigeons encounter is flying into objects they sometimes cannot see, mostly when flying at high speeds or in darker weather conditions. The most common obstructions are electricity pylons or TV aerials.^[14] Pigeon fanciers will often have one of their pigeons return home with wounds or missing feathers from the belly or flanks region.
It is thought that racing pigeons rely on the Earth's magnetic field to find their way home. Some evidence has surfaced indicating that mobile phone towers may be interrupting the birds' navigation,^[15] although no published research has investigated this theory.

Racing Pigeon Training

Racing Pigeon Training

Racing pigeons are housed together in a specially designed dovecote or loft. From about four weeks of age until the end of its racing career, the racing loft is the pigeon's home and is where it returns to on race day.
After 22 to 28 days in the nest (depending on the owner's preference) the young birds are removed and placed in a section of a large loft or in a smaller loft built for the purpose. After a few days of learning how to locate the water and eating by themselves they are allowed to wander out of the loft and peck around in the garden, while doing this they are constantly observing their surroundings and becoming familiar with them. At about age six to seven weeks the birds will begin taking off, flying in very small circles around their loft and owner's house. As their confidence grows they gradually wander farther and farther from home until they are out of sight and can remain so for as much as two hours before returning. When a few trainers fly their pigeons in the same area, these flying "batches" (as flocks of pigeons are called) can number in the thousands. It does not, however, help them much in relation to finding their home from long distances away, a fundamental of pigeon racing. As confident flyers, the young pigeons are taken on progressively longer 'training tosses', driven a distance away from their home and released. This method of training is a way to condition the birds mentally and physically to prepare them for the races. This practice of loft flying and tossing continues throughout a pigeon's career to keep their homing instincts sharp.
There are many ways to train racing pigeons. Like every sport out there, racing pigeons is an evolving sport. One of the most popular systems is widowhood. This system uses the birds' desire to reproduce as motivation to try to give the bird a sense of urgency on race day. The use of widowhood is usually begun by first allowing the racer to raise a baby in their nest box. After the baby is weaned the hen is removed and often the nestbox is closed off, from then on the only time these birds are allowed to see their mate or enter the nest box is upon returning from training or a race. This conditioning is one of the key elements in a lot of racing programs.
Due to advancements in technology researchers have been able to use small Global Positioning Systems to track the flight paths that their birds follow. Small GPS systems have recently begun to hit the consumer market. Companies like PigeonTrack and GEM Supplements currently sell GPS units for novice to advanced race trainers to use to gather data.

One-loft racing

One-loft racing

One-loft racing originated from local futurity races. Futurity races are when the bird's race home from the racing station to their homes. The difference between regular racing and futurity races is futurity races has prize money involved. Usually, the prize is used for a bragging right more so than to win the money. The process of racing could be a bit complicated as handlers of their racing pigeons compete with one another. Some handlers could be better than some when it comes down to racing. Therefore, one-loft racing was created. One-loft racing is the process of training birds bred by many different breeders in the same loft, under the same trainer and in the same conditions (as opposed to trainer against trainer in their own lofts and usually with their own birds). It is thought to be the fairest method of proving which bloodline or breeder is best and usually provides the highest amount of prize money. Pigeons are recorded by electronic timing systems scanning the birds as they enter the home loft with winners decided by as little as 100th of a second. The birds are all taken to the same release point and they return to the same home loft, so therefore it is the fastest bird to complete the journey from A to B. One-loft racing is now becoming very popular all around the world with fanciers able to compare their bloodlines on an equal basis against the best breeders.

Electronic timing method

The latest development and preferred method for timing racing pigeons is the Electronic Timing System. The bird's arrival is recorded automatically. When using an electronic system, the pigeon fancier does not even have to be at the loft to clock the birds as they return.^[8] Birds are fitted with a band that has a tiny RFID chip in it which can be read when the bird comes home. At the home loft the electronic scanning records the pigeons' arrival. The pad or antenna is placed at the entry point to the loft entrance and as the pigeon crosses it the electronic band is scanned. The clock is attached to the antennas. The serial number of the transponder ring is recorded along with the time of arrival. This is very similar to transponder timing systems used in human races.^[9]
In February 2008 the members of the Penygraog Homing Society Racing Pigeon Club in Wales won an award to fund a new electronic timing device. The club was able to obtain the device thanks to funding from the All Wales award initiative. Club secretary John Williams said: "The electronic timer certainly makes it a lot easier for us".^[10]
With the advent of electronic timing system recording birds’ arrival has never been easier. The ETS technology is developing year on year and it is taking over the pigeon world, changing it and making it fit for today's conditions. As a result of this new way of registering a bird's arrival, several loft management software have been created in the last 10 years to help fanciers with record keeping, pigeon pedigree, publishing race results or keep track of treatment and vaccination records.

Traditional timing method

Inside an older pigeon clock

Some old style pigeon clocks use thimbles.

The traditional method of timing racing pigeons involves rubber rings with unique identification numbers and a specially designed pigeon racing clock. The ring is attached around the bird's leg before being sent to race. The serial number is recorded, the clock is set and sealed, and the bird carries the ring home. When the first bird returns, its trainer removes the ring and places it in a slot in the clock. The time that the ring was placed in the clock is recorded as the official time that the competing bird arrived home. From this time stamp an average speed is measured and a winner of the race can be found.
Although serving its purpose, this method has proved somewhat problematic for a few reasons:

The pigeon's "official time" is not the actual time it arrived, it is the time the ring was removed, placed in the clock and recorded, which could be many vital seconds later.
Exceptional pigeons may arrive home first on multiple occasions; knowing it is going to have the ring removed speedily, which may be uncomfortable, the pigeon could be reluctant to enter the loft for the trainer.

Racing Pigeon

Racing Pigeon

Pigeon racing has been described as a "sport with a single starting gate and a thousand finish lines."^[4] In short, competing birds are taken from their lofts and must race home. The time taken and distance are recorded and the fastest bird is declared the winner. Races are generally between 100 kilometres (62 mi) and 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) in distance. In the United States flights of up to 1,800 kilometres (1,100 mi) have been recorded.^[5]
Provided it survives the many hazards associated with racing, a single pigeon could compete from about six months of age and still be in competition at over ten years of age. Such feats are uncommon, however, and the average racing career rarely exceeds three years.^{[citation needed]} Hazards can also come from weather conditions on the day of the race. Pigeons can become grounded and disoriented, and therefore not finish the race. In one instance in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1941, a family found a pigeon on their property. Since the bird was sporting an identifying leg band, the Wisconsin Conservation Commission was called, who identified the owner as a man from Green Bay.^[6]
In the early days of racing, paint was used to identify birds for owners. Belgium then developed a ⅛-inch brass leg band, that was sent to racers in America to use.^[7] Since then, to compete in a race, it must wear a permanent, unique numbered ring or band that is placed on its leg at about five days old. For a race to be conducted, the competing pigeons must be entered into the race, usually at the organisation's clubhouse, and taken away from their home to be released at a predetermined time and location. The distance between the bird's home loft and the race point is carefully measured by GPS and the time taken by the bird to return is measured using one of the two acceptable timing methods. Sometimes in some leagues, there are two divisions: one for the young birds (usually yearlings in their first year of competition) and another for older birds.

History of Pigeon racing

History of Pigeon racing

Pigeons are the oldest domesticated bird.^{[citation needed]} The predecessors of modern-day racing pigeons were pigeons bred for their homing ability, primarily to carry messages. "Pigeon posts" have been established all over the world and while mainly used in the military, some are still in service today. Modern pigeon racing originated in Belgium in the mid 19th century.^[2]
The sport was aided by several new technologies of the era. The advent of the railroad permitted pigeons to be sent to distant release points quickly and at modest cost. In addition, the creation of mass-produced, sophisticated timing clocks brought accurate and secure timing to the sport. These clocks were designed with special compartments where an entry band, removed from the returning race bird was placed. When struck, the clock recorded the time and also placed the band in a compartment that could only be opened by race officials.
The importance of homing pigeons in the centuries before electronic communications, such as the telegraph and telephone, is seldom recognised. However, the Reuters News Agency, the world's largest information provider, began as a pigeon service carrying closing stock prices between Belgium and Germany, basically between the western and eastern terminus of the telegraph in Europe. Also, the use of homing pigeons by financier Nathan Rothschild to gain advance news of Napoleon's unexpected defeat at Waterloo is thought to have led to a fortune being made in the bond market of the day.

World of pigeon racing rocked

Pigeon racing is the sport of releasing specially trained racing pigeons, which then return to their homes over a carefully measured distance. The time it takes the animal to cover the specified distance is measured and the bird's rate of travel is calculated and compared with all of the other pigeons in the race to determine which animal returned at the highest speed.
Pigeon racing requires a specific breed of pigeon bred for the sport, the Racing Homer. Competing pigeons are specially trained and conditioned for races that vary in distance from approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) to 1,000 kilometres (620 mi). Despite these lengths, races can be won and lost by seconds, so many different timing and measuring devices have been developed. The traditional timing method involves rubber rings being placed into a specially designed clock, whereas a newer development uses RFID tags to record arrival time.
While there is no definite proof, there are compelling reasons to think the sport of racing pigeons may go back at least as far as 220 AD.^[1] The sport achieved a great deal of popularity in Belgium in the mid-19th century. The pigeon fanciers of Belgium were so taken with the hobby that they began to develop pigeons specially cultivated for fast flight and long endurance called Voyageurs.^[2] From Belgium the modern version of the sport and the Voyageurs which the Flemish fanciers developed spread to most parts of the world. Once quite popular, the sport has experienced a downturn in participants in some parts of the world in recent years, possibly due to the rising cost of living, ageing fanciers, and a severe lack of public interest. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is also a reason why some people are leaving the sport.^[3]
One recent development in the sport of pigeon racing is "one loft racing", where birds are raced against each other under the same training regimen, from the same location. The principle being to find the best individual race bird irrespective of the race trainer. This will determine which bird is then the most successful.

Pigeon racing

Pigeon racing

Description
Pigeon racing is the sport of releasing specially trained racing pigeons, which then return to their homes over a carefully measured distance,

Leave our pigeons alone

Pigeon racing is a passion I share with more than 5 000 fellow fanciers in South Africa and tens of thousands of people worldwide. Every real pigeon fancier knows that the birds’ cooing cuts a path to his soul. The ‘language’ that we share with our pigeons in the loft creates a priceless camaraderie. In a race, we are the ones our birds fly home to. Many an elderly pigeon fancier who sell his birds feels that he is making an appointment with the undertaker.

READ:High-class racing pigeons

Surely these images do not fit the profile of people who supposedly treat their animals with cruelty. If there has been any malice, it has been between fanciers. During the past few years, the courts have become the only way to settle disputes. The price has been high and the sport has suffered. But despite the unpleasant memory of many court battles and the disputes between die-hard pigeon racing personalities, the attempted banning of our sport saw priorities rearranged within minutes. ‘’I’ll see you in court’’ was replaced with one voice: “Leave our pigeons alone!”
Dismay
It was with horror that I read the doomsday letter from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) on my computer for the first time on the 16 October. Breeding, trading and racing pigeons were illegal, according to the NSPCA statement. These activities were now listed as prohibited in terms of the Invasive and Alien Species List regulated by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). Columba livia, the pigeon species used in races, is listed under Category 3 of the list.
We thought we had a positive working relationship with the NSPCA. Representatives attend our meetings and are present at the liberation of our pigeons. But it seems as if no one from the sport was consulted when it came to the law, which had been in the works since 2004. It seems that our right to deliver an input when the Act was formulated was ignored.
Our racing pigeons are neither migratory nor a harmful species. It would be interesting to know why the DEA classed the racing pigeon as ‘feral’, because it shows a lack of research.The racing pigeon is a domesticated breed not originally found in the wild. The modern racing pigeon was developed in Belgium from about 1810 onwards. Neither do racing pigeons ‘migrate’; they bond with humans and always seek to return to their home loft after being released. They do not simply ‘return to the wild’.
Retraction
The DEA has since said that pigeon racing will have no significant impact on the invasion by the feral pigeon. “The numbers are reasonably low in relation to the existing invasions, that it is possible to provide exemption for the racing pigeon activities,” it said. This backtracking was thanks in no small part to prompt action by the SA National Pigeon Organisation. But, as can be seen, the DEA still insists that racing pigeons are ‘feral’ – which is not so. Also, we expect the NSPCA to challenge this ‘loophole’ with specious claims of cruelty. If that happens, don’t expect pigeon fanciers to go down without a fight.

Birdy and her remarkable mates

Only a few world-class cocks were chosen to be mated to Birdy. In addition to the Louis Wouters foundation and the stronger influence of the Hardy Kruger genetics, ‘Birdy discipline’ exists in the gene pool of original Janssens & Janssens Van Loon.
As a result, the genetic profile of the original C&G Koopman heritage connects with the Birdy foundation. An extended link continues in the lines of Pieter Veenstra and prototype Jan Hooymans.
Birdy’s direct offspring were not raced, but used as prime stock. Sparingly bred since 2008, Birdy’s offspring are amongst the most powerful hereditary transmitters ever, producing top results.
Birdy’s first mate was Zander (DV06369-06-714).
Bred by Esser & Son, it is part of the Blue Dynasty of Pieter Veenstra. Zander’s great-grandsire, Mr Surhuizum, is the brother of Mr Ermerveen, First National Ace pigeon in 2000 and Olympiad Pigeon, Cape Town, a year later. Mr Surhuizem is the sire of Mr Blue, a first National Ace in the tough Wie Heeft Ze Beter (WHZB) in the Netherlands.
Mr Blue is the sire of NL1909293-05, dam of three different Ace pigeons and one of the finest stock hens in the world.
Zander’s dam is a daughter of Replay, an Ace pigeon in the Netherlands (Louis van Loon) mated to a sister of Gentil (Olympiad Pigeon, 1997). Gentil is the sire of Kleine Dirk (with Golden Lady, daughter of The Kannibaal).
Top click pair
Another mate for Birdy was Good Aim, third in the 2009 SA Million Dollar Pigeon Race (SAMDPR). Their progeny ultimately produced Den Dromer and its De Rauw-Sablon/Marcel Aelbrecht line is dominating the world. Next was Terry, a five-time winner. Its sire is Saxon and its dam Jordan, one of Germany’s greatest click pairs. Then there was Der Dicke, placed 101 in the 2008 SAMDPR. On its sire’s side, it is a blend of the Hoffkens, Janssens and Meulemans lines.

Let’s hear it for the reds

Some dismiss red pigeons as “hawk feed”, others have had great success racing them. Thomas Smit says colour is only skin deep.

I was once travelling by train when a retired fancier seated opposite me started talking about how long it had taken to track down a good-quality red pigeon. The reds he had that showed racing potential failed to produce any offspring of value in the stock loft.
Finally, after many experiments, he got it right with a brick-red champion that was the best racer and breeder he’d ever owned.
As a schoolboy I was told that black pigeons are mated to reds to hide the red colouration, because black is dominant over red. However, you would often find one black youngster and one red in the nest of such matings, and sometimes two reds.
Often the black youngster’s feathering has a red or golden tint, which I learnt was called bronze.
Winners come in all colours, shapes and sizes – gay pieds and ash reds, silver barred, duns, barless blues, bronze, mealies and grizzles. Colour has nothing to do with racing quality.
But with fewer reds in circulation, it’s unfair to expect to have many “good” ones, unless you specialise in reds. Fanciers who do specialise in breeding quality red pigeons will have more better-performing reds, because they’ve steered the quality gene pool in that direction.
All the same, I’ve often heard frustrated old-timers mumble that “reds are only hawk feed”, despite the fact that there’s often a red at the top of the scoreboard. Strangely though, should an “anti-red” happen to discover a champion red in his race loft, he soon changes his view.
Incidentally, hawks do tend to pick out the brighter-coloured pigeons, especially reds with a whitish finish on the back, tail and wing tip. But ironically, reds are often top achievers in hawk-infested areas.
Some red achievers
The famous bronze hen ID87-48782, bred by the late G Greyvenstein and owned by East Rand champion fancier Cyril Leibach, is a renowned foundation breeder with strong passing-on power. She was bred from a dark chequer hen and red splash cock of predominantly Putterie Lambrecht strain.
Her offspring produced numerous winners and champion best pigeons, and recessive reds continue to pop up. Offspring from the famous red Pegasus continue to produce recessive reds of note for Chris Smith Lofts and numerous others.
Scarecrow, a champion blue-barred local racer, formed a “click mating” with the blue-barred Golden Eggs Hen of Belgian origin. Among their offspring are recessive reds that are great-quality breeders.
The Red King and his two brothers, Black Splash and Red Splash, bred by Buks Bradbury and now owned by Bryan Marshall from Alberton, are responsible for countless superstars in South Africa.
Several champion reds descending from Belgian Jules Rijckaert’s birds have been bred in South Africa.
South African Champions Roland Bouwer and Johan Schmidt earn top results with descendants of The Red Baron, bred from a red cock acquired from Belgian champion Etienne de Vos and a mealie hen originating from Germain Imbrecht through the late Dr A Braymer.
Other local fanciers who have success with reds include Cassie Matthee, Monty van den Burg and Abe Langerman. All would join me in saying: “Long live the reds!”

Do the eyes have it?

The theory of ‘eye-sign’ is a subject of much controversy in the pigeon racing fraternity.

Few controversies polarise the sport of racing pigeons more than the ‘eye-sign’ theory. Briefly, this holds that the ‘look’ or structure of a pigeon’s eye will help to determine if the pigeon will be a great racer or breeder. Adherents use a jeweller’s loupe to examine the iris, the ‘circle of correlation’ between the iris and the pupil, the pupil, and the ‘inner muscle’ inside the outer rim of the pupil.
Many racing pigeon champions around the world attribute their success largely to studying the eyes of their birds. But just as many champions scoff at the theory.
“I think a vet would be highly amused to hear a big champion say you should never pair two white-eyed pigeons,” says one fancier. “Why would there be a difference between blue, white or green eyes?”
There are differences between eye-sign ‘experts’ too. One condemned my number one breeding pair; another complimented me on it!
Intense selection
Racing pigeons are not kept for their beauty, but for their racing prowess. They are distinguished from ‘show homers’ kept for showing. Because looks matter here, presumably their eye-signs are impressive. I say ‘presumably,’ because eye-sign selection is rarely practised in these instances, as the theory is aimed at selecting ace racers.
The irony is, with their (presumably) top notch eyes, good show pigeons rarely make good racers. For one thing, their orientation and homing ability tends to be poor.
When it comes to true racing pigeons, a fierce process of selection has taken place over the years, with enthusiasts studying both the genotype and phenotype. Intense breeding programmes based on inbreeding, line-breeding and/or crossbreeding are used. Fanciers select, test and re-select. Notes are made of the outcome of their efforts.
Given that selection criteria include an aerodynamic body conformation, good wing design and other physical attributes, it’s perhaps not surprising that someone decided to look at the eyes too.
Many fanciers believe they can grade intelligence, determination and health by studying a pigeon’s eyes. Only in pigeon racing could this happen, says fancier Bob Prisco at The Pigeon Insider (pigeonracingpigeon.com). Can you imagine judging a human athlete’s potential solely on the basis of eye-sign?
Little evidence
“There is little definitive scientific evidence on this subject,” says US racing pigeon expert Dr John Lamberton (drjohnlamberton.com). “As with many theories, the validity and reliability of eye- sign theory is strictly a matter of personal faith and preference.”
On the other hand, amidst all of the science, instinct plays a big role in selecting pigeons. “Every fancier has his own traditions, his own certainties and his own clues, which he tries to recognise when holding a real champion in the hand,” says Verheecke Marc at www.pipa. be. “Still, we all have to agree that our theories and ideas do not match reality very often.”
At the same time, there’s little doubt that some fanciers have a better ‘feeling’ for pigeons than others. More research is needed. Until then, I believe we cannot simply jettison eye-sign theory as a pseudoscience. There might just be more to it than, er, meets the eye.

Eye-sign theory the first circle

Eye-sign theory – the first circle

The pupil is known as the first circle of the eye. Heidi’s pupils are rather small and centred within a spaciously pigmented ‘open eye’ – an indication of a quality middle- and long-distance racer.
The pupils of high-quality pigeons should be an intense black, not off-grey, as this is one of the indications of good sight. Pupils are generally expected to be well-rounded, but oblong pupils are sometimes found among birds of high quality.

Eye-sign theory – the second circle

The ‘circle of adaptation’ – the second circle – rests against the outer rim of the pupil. It is best seen through a loupe. It occurs in all variations of grey, brown and black, differing in size and strength. It may also be absent. Heidi’s eye boasts an extremely strong circle of adaptation: it is broad, very dark and cuts deeply, which means that it is fixed.
My own observation is that better results are obtained when using a strong circle of adaptation to ‘lift’ the fading circles and off-colours seen in the circle of adaptation of some promising pigeons that lack the eye-sign quality of great breeders.

Eye-sign theory – the third circle

The ‘circle of correlation’ often has various shades of grey and brown. Sometimes, it has the same yellow or blue base colour that shows through the upper layers of the entire eye.
The differently coloured parts within the circle of correlation may vary in size and texture and the circle’s outer borders or edges may form the divide between the third and fourth circles. A good circle of correlation must form a harmonious balance with the other parts of the eye.
The colours should not appear murky, but be clearly defined and bright, as with Heidi’s eyes. In practice, broader circles are linked to smaller circles.

Eye-sign theory – the fourth circle

The ‘circle of the iris’ embraces the largest portion of the eye. Heidi’s iris pigmentation becomes more dominant around the entire eye furthest from the pupil, and has the sought-after volcanic and moving lava appearance. The ridges, grooves and cuts are well embedded and distributed over most of the eye surface.
The strong pigmentation invades the fifth or outer circle slightly. This is believed to be linked to ample blood and oxygen supply.
Note that too much granulation (close eye) would distort the balance between the five eye circles and make the pupil unnaturally small.

Eye-sign theory – the fifth circle

The fifth circle is the final visible section of colour. In my own experience, a non-existent fifth circle and eyes overfilled with pigmentation are sure signs that a breeding plan is heading for trouble.
Heidi’s eyes are precious gems for the eye-sign connoisseur. Nonetheless, the theory needs further investigation and, as Van Aswegen says, pigeons should never be culled simply because of certain eye-signs!

New pigeon race to boost wildlife conservation

With a ‘dream team’ at the helm and R10 million in prizes, the inaugural Victoria Falls World Challenge Pigeon Race is set to be a classic. Wildlife conservation will benefit too, says Thomas Smit.

As I write this, about 1 000 racing pigeons are in training over the picturesque landscape of the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
They are the inaugural entries of the first season of the Victoria Falls World Challenge Pigeon Race (VFWCPR), with a whopping US$700 000 (R10 million) in total prize money.
The final event is scheduled for 28 January 2017. Five longer road training Hot Spots, each with a combined cash prize of US$30 000 (about R420 000), will take place before then.
Giving back to nature
According to the organisers, the event will benefit wildlife conservation efforts, including “highly commendable anti-poaching trusts whose under-funded, yet unyielding, work in the area protects a variety of species, such as rhinos, elephants and lions’’.
Underprivileged communities are also set to gain from the event.
Pigeons have been entered from the UK, the US, Canada, China, Australia, Romania, Angola, Belgium, Germany, Kuwait, Bulgaria, Portugal, Trinidad, France, Poland, South Africa and other countries.
A professional team
Geoff Armand, a business CEO and a racing pigeon fancier for almost 50 years, is the general manager of the VFWCPR. Karen Taylor, an accountant, is the administration and finance manager, and is assisted by Geoff’s wife, Caroline.
Richard Hulley and Bob & Trish Henson are on the board of directors. The loft site administrator is Kevin Fry and the race director is Dr Wim Peters.
The race veterinarian is Dr Daz Karenga, who has gained extensive experience in the Department of Veterinary Services of Zimbabwe. Gauteng champion fancier, Johann Grobbelaar, is head trainer.
Their combined knowledge of pigeon racing and veterinary science makes this a ‘dream team’, and their skills are reflected in the care of the pigeons.
A health and fitness monitor is on-hand, and minute alterations are made to the training schedule as needed. Distances will be lengthened in stages to tone the birds’ muscles for the final race.

How to be successful at pigeon racing

To be successful at pigeon racing, you need to be fast, very fast, says Thomas Smit.

The importance of good genetics in racing pigeons cannot be understated. The foundation stock of South Africa’s renowned pigeon racing loft, Kitchenbrand’s Loft, is a case in point.
Co-owned by Mark Kitchenbrand, the Kitchenbrand’s Loft’s Ace Pigeons are bred for performance and speed, and the loft’s incredible gene pool is sourced from the best genetic stock worldwide.
The genetic strength of top racing pigeons will secure results on race day. As such, ambitious fanciers are continuously on the hunt for top genetic pigeon stock, which results in them often purchasing offspring from the same foundation stock.
Therefore, the genetic composition of champion Olympiad pigeons in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, for example, may often intertwine, making them distant relations of each other.
Because they are also sellers, the offspring of foundation pigeon stock owned by top breeders such as Pieter Veenstra, Jan Hooymans, C&G Koopman (Dutch champions), Alfons Klaas, Hardy Krüger, and Gaby Vandenabeele (Belgian champions), are bred into the racing pigeon population by them and various other buyers.
Speed
Olympiad pigeons are categorised according to the following: best sprint-, middle-, or long-distance racers, and all-rounders. However, regardless of the distance, the pigeon that flies the shortest route home, at the highest speed, will always be the winner.
Kitchenbrand bought the now champion all-rounder, Birdy, for R800 000 at the South African Million Dollar Pigeon Race (SAMDPR) auction in 2007.
Birdy was awarded the SAMDPR 2008 Knock-Out Competition Champion, Grand Average Ace Pigeon, and Hot Spot Average Ace Pigeon titles , and has passed her extraordinary genetic strength on to her offspring.
Bred in SA since 2008, Birdy’s offspring are amongst the world’s most powerful hereditary transmitters, producing top results: Birdy’s first six direct offspring all bred multiple first prize winners. Four of her direct offspring were in the top 200 in the 2011 Sun City Million Dollar Race.
While Kitchenbrand thus has access to Birdy’s superior genetic line through her offspring, he recently acquired some of Stefaan Lambrecht’s sprint pigeons, currently the fastest pigeons in the world.
Birdy and Harry
Dutch pigeon racing champion, Jan Hooymans, bought Birdy in October 2015. Since then, famous Dutch Ace Racer, Harry, a blue cheque cock owned by Hooymans, has been mated to Birdy.
None of their direct offspring have been put on sale.
Harry is one of the best racers in the world, after winning two races against 22 340 and 37 728 pigeons, and scoring third place against 21 520 pigeons. Harry’s progeny won against 11 337 pigeons, and a grandson won against 44 293 pigeons.
Key genetic links
As a result of their outstanding genetics, Harry and Birdy’s progeny should be phenomenal racers. Both Harry and Birdy are related to renowned pigeon foundation stock: Harry was bred from the genetic foundations of C & G Koopman and Gaby Vandenabeele.
Birdy’s dam is closely related to the same Louis van Loon and Janssen brothers pigeons used in the formation of the C & G Koopman genetic pool. In SA, Birdy was mated to top bird, Zander, bred by
Dutch champion, Pieter Veenstra. Veenstra’s birds have a strong C & G Koopman foundation.
Birdy’s offspring with Zander thus have a golden link to the Janssen birds, as the base birds in the Veenstra loft also connect with this line.

Breeding a million-dollar bird

Breeding a million-dollar bird

Pigeon breeding and racing remains a popular pursuit, with some fanciers aiming for the ultimate goal of turning their hobby into a career. Sabrina Dean visited brothers Daniel and Justin King of Kingslea Lofts in Bloemfontein to find out more about the demands, and thrills, of the sport.

There is not a cloud in sight on a crisp Free State winter’s day as brothers Daniel and Justin King scan the open sky above them.
They dismiss each speck that flutters by until they spot the flash of white in the distance. The racing bird circles closer, distinctly different from the wild pigeons that flew past earlier.
This pigeon is small and streamlined, built to race. It has flown nearly 450km since being released that morning and is the first of 16 birds expected to clock back in at Kingslea Lofts today.
The King brothers and their father, John, have been involved in pigeon breeding and racing for many years, and are currently members of the Shannon Pigeon Club under the Bloemfontein Pigeon Federation (BPF). Last year, they finished second overall in the BPF league. This year, they hope to win as they move forward in their quest to turn their hobby into a full-time career, and ultimately to breed, in their words, “a million-dollar pigeon”.
Organised races
All pigeon races in South Africa operate under the auspices of the South African National Pigeon Organisation (SANPO). According to vice-president George le Roux, the annual racing season runs from the first weekend of June for about 18 weeks until the end of September or the beginning of October.
To compete, individual lofts, such as Kingslea, join a club in the area where they are based.
The clubs in a town or region form part of a federation, such as the BPF, and the federations, in turn, fall under SANPO.
There are two race classes, namely yearling races for birds that turn one year old in the year they start racing, and open classes, into which any bird can be entered.
“Normally, people will race a bird up to the age of four or five. After retiring from racing, if the bird has an exceptional race pedigree, it goes to the stock loft for breeding,” says Le Roux.
Races are held across three distances, beginning with short flights at the start of the season (280km to 460km), progressing to middle-distance (460km to 600km), and finally building up to long-distance races (600km to 900km).
Races such as the famous South African Million Dollar Pigeon Race are known as one-loft races. Here, breeders or owners enter their birds into the race loft, but take no part in the training or management of the birds thereafter.
Breeding a winner
Breeders base their pairing and selection decisions on various criteria, such as type, conformation and bloodlines. The majority would agree, however, that race or performance pedigrees are the most important factor.
The Kings start pairing in May or June, and breeding continues until December or January. Each breeding pair is placed in its own compartment to breed, hatch and raise chicks.
“The pair will produce three or four clutches per season, with about two chicks per clutch,” says Daniel.
The chicks are weaned when they are about 30 days old. After weaning, the young birds are moved to a weaning loft to ensure they are eating well on their own before they are moved into the racing loft.
Some handling takes place during this phase, as the chicks are ringed at about seven days of age.
According to Le Roux, a bird’s race pedigree plays an important role when making breeding decisions. The usual approach is to breed a winner to a winner.
“You only breed with pigeons who’ve flown well. Normally, you’ll see that there are multiple winners in their pedigrees, so, generally, the more winners in the pedigree, the better the bird is,” he says.
A number of breeders also focus on type, and strive to breed a bird with a longer elbow, for example, as they believe this will make for a better long-distance flier.
Some breeders will even judge the bird according to the conformation and colour of its eyes.
Generally speaking, though, desirable characteristics include that the bird should be small and well formed, have soft, silky feathers, good wing length, and not be prone to becoming overweight.
Pigeon cocks can remain fertile until they are 15 years old, while hens can produce until they are 12. Eight to 10 years is the norm, however.
Flags and whistles
Le Roux explains that young birds are not strong enough to fly great distances, and they therefore need to become fit and strong as part of their training.
The breeder usually opens the loft to allow the young birds that have been moved to the racing loft to venture out, and over the next two weeks they build up enough strength to flutter up to the roof of the loft. As they gain more strength, they start flying on their own.
A breeder also conditions the birds to associate food with a whistle or specific sound. Once the young birds start flying, they are kept in the air for increasingly long periods to get them flying-fit.
Le Roux says that at this point they introduce a flag on a long pole to keep the birds in the air, and the time spent aloft is gradually increased until they can circle the loft for at least an hour before being whistled in for feeding.
When the pigeons are ready for longer flights, they are released 5km to 10km away from the loft, and this distance is gradually increased to 15km, then 25km, and so on.
Daniel explains that they have an “open loft” set-up from mid-October to February, during which the birds are allowed to come and go as they please.
“What’s nice about this is that the older birds are in the loft, going in and out, and the younger birds see them and learn from them.”
Justin says that about two months before racing season, they start the real training, beginning with chasing the pigeons up and encouraging them to fly around. Once the birds are flying strongly, the brothers take them out to be released, building them up to the point where they can comfortably manage a distance of 300km.
“Two weeks before the first race, we take them to the race start point and release them, just to make sure they’re fit enough to cover the distance.”
Feed and health
Justin has carried out research into various feed mixes, and prefers raw ingredients such as maize and sunflower in combination with a balanced pigeon pellet produced by a local company.
“Our birds eat between 42g and 47g each a day when they’re racing properly. In the off-season, when they’re not racing, it’s about 28g/bird/day,” he says.
The feed mix gets adjusted throughout the week, starting with a higher protein ratio and moving to a higher fat and carbohydrate percentage as they approach race day.
Major health ailments include respiratory infections, coccidiosis and crop cancer.
“We do preventive treatment, medicating on a three-week programme, and treat for mites and lice throughout the year,” he says.
Vaccinations for pox and paramyxovirus are administered in line with SANPO regulations.
Aiming for the big win
Although management, health and training are important, the Kings believe that at least 80% of a bird’s success will be due to its genetic ability.
“We go on performance,” says Daniel simply.
Their philosophy is to breed their best racers to each other to produce offspring that are better than the parents. “As with athletes, you get sprinters and long-distance runners.”
At the time of the interview, the Kings were at the top of the BPF log for this season, after having finished a close second last year. They are hoping their birds will stay on form and finish first.
The next step will be to enter them into major one-loft races, such as the Million Dollar Race.
Other big international races are the Victoria Falls World Challenge in Zimbabwe, the Hoosier Classic in the US, the Derby Arona race in the Canary Islands, and the Algarve Golden Race in Portugal.
Birds entered into the Million Dollar Race are reared at a loft in Vanderbijlpark that can house up to 8 000 birds. It costs US$1 000 (about R14 500) to enter three birds.
“One is entered and two serve as reserves. If the first bird is injured before the race, a reserve can fill in. If all three are fine, you can activate the two reserves as well for another US$1 000 each,” says Daniel.
All birds that finish the race are put up for auction, with the owner receiving 50% of the price.
“That’s where you get the big prices, like R1,4 million for a bird. All the birds are auctioned off and then the next year’s birds come in.”
Owners may not opt to keep their birds but can bid for them on auction, which means they will only pay half of the final bid amount.
“We definitely want to keep improving our birds every year. The first step is to try to win the federation this year and then keep winning it.”

Fitness tips for racing pigeons

To properly understand fitness indicators in racing pigeons, we need to identify the actual demands of the specific race event we intend to enter. We also need to realise that there are different degrees of fitness and that the fitness curve can be manipulated.

Fitness can also be ruined before a race by ill-considered changes in the road training programme, and/or omissions in the birds’ diet.
General fitness is achieved through regular exercise. If, say, a training programme consists only of daily home training of less than 60 minutes and isn’t supplemented with, perhaps, two road training flights a week, then don’t expect your pigeons to be ready for race competition.

READ Talking to pigeon fancier Deon du Toit

But general fitness is only the foundation. Generally, fit pigeons that aren’t prepared for strenuous competition will lack the strength to score, because they can’t keep up with the leaders.
In other words, in addition to general fitness, we need race condition and peak form.

Race fitness

Racing pigeons need to be exposed to strenuous exercise from time to time to advance their general fitness to top form. This also helps improve the bird’s mental readiness.
You need to determine the average time the pigeons are expected to spend on the wing, by analysing the distance to be flown and the expected weather conditions of the race event. The training programme must then be formulated to meet these demands.
Peak form
Peak form can be expected when a race team is pushed a little harder in training two to three times per week. It’s about providing a burst of energy and an explosion of strength.
Peak form in racing pigeons can be reached repeatedly during the same season, while certain pigeons can maintain top condition for several weeks.
When it comes to short to middle distances, one should prevent pigeons from spending too many hours on the wing during all training sessions.
If they’re allowed to run away in the middle of the week, form will be lost by Saturday, the day of the race.
Over-training
A willing racer of superior quality can fly in front for several weeks and appear to be in peak form all the time.
But if its winning streak is unexpectedly taxed by a sudden change in the weather it may not cope. If it finds itself off-pace it will ultimately stray.
In other words, if a multiple performer scores week after week in fast-paced race speeds, make sure you don’t indiscriminately entered it into a race with a low speed against a cruel head-wind – it may not have enough reserves and stamina to endure.

READ Maintaining optimal pigeon health

However, a racing pigeon that peaks in winning a blow home can be doubled back into a headwind the next week providing it had a break from racing in the weeks before being doubled back.

Too many good pigeons are lost because the fancier’s ego demands a place on the score-board.
Extended home or road training should ideally be arranged on Saturdays for those pigeons not entered into the race and then again on Tuesday and Thursday.
Extended feeding and general supplements must be added to provide extra fuel for the extra workload.
Well-timed additional exercise followed by rest and supplementation just before a race will help the team fly faster and pace itself better during the races.
Where middle- to long-distance race events are concerned, we can’t train our pigeons strenuously during the week and still expect them to fly to the moon on Saturday.

Racing Pigeons

Homing Pigeons Mutations | Beauty of Birds

racing homers Pigeons

Racing Pigeon sitting on wood against a black background.

beautiful racer pigeons pictures

ہومر کبوتر یا لوگ دوڑ میں مقابلہ ہومر بھارت اور دنیا بھر میں بہت دلچسپ پرندوں ہیں

ہومر کبوتر یا لوگ دوڑ میں مقابلہ ہومر بھارت اور دنیا بھر میں بہت دلچسپ پرندوں ہیں. وہ دوسرے کبوتر سے مختلف ہیں کیونکہ وہ جب سینکڑوں میل دور گھر سے سے جاری ان کے گھر کے راستے تلاش کرنے کے لئے کر سکتے ہیں. لوگ دوڑ میں مقابلہ ہومر کبوتر کی کہانی میں قدیم دور میں جب یہ لوگ دوڑ میں مقابلہ ہومر کبوتر جہاں جنگ شعبوں میں استعمال ہونے والے پیغامات کو گھر واپس پاس واپس آ جاتا ہے. مرد کو پہلے tamed اور پہلے سال ان ہومر کبوتر ہزاروں تربیت یافتہ ہے.

Racing homer pigeon History

Racing homer pigeon History

Homer Pigeons or Racing homer are very interesting birds in India and all over the world. They are different from other pigeons because they are able to find their way home when released from hundreds of miles away from home. The story of racing homer pigeons goes back to ancient times when these racing homer pigeons where used in battle fields to pass the messages back to home. Men first tamed and trained these homer pigeons thousands of years ago.

Doves and pigeons are put in the same family by scientific experts. There are more than twelve hundred kinds of pigeons. They live in every continent except the cold Antarctic, but mostly in the tropics where the largest and most beautiful pigeons are found.

India has always been a place for racing homer pigeons and racing homer pigeons fanciers. We can see hundreds of racing homer pigeons fanciers feeding, breeding and racing their racing homer all over India.

The homer pigeons and all other tame pigeons are descendants of wild pigeons, the common rock dove of southern Europe, northern Africa and western Asia and India. Perhaps the rock dove found it easier to get food in grain fields and to nest on the rafters of huts and barns. Pigeons can still be found living in this half-tamed way, nesting on ledges of buildings.

The domestic pigeons developed when man began to feed and shelter pigeons. As people took more interest in these pigeons, they started feeding and breeding them to produce more desirable pigeons. Pigeons were selected and bred for their beautiful or odd appearance. Finally, since homer pigeons find their way home from distant places, they have been bred for racing. These pigeons are known as racing homer.

Racing Pigeon Supplements

The Science of Muscle Fatigue

As athletes of the sky, sporting birds rely on optimal muscle function for sustained power and speed in flight, as well as endurance. Muscles must contain adequate fuel for exercise and be adapted for efficient energy generation and be able to recover quickly.
STORM^® Avis boosts specific muscle fuel stores that support bursts of accelerated flight or an increase in speed.
Fighting muscle fatigue is also important if you want to optimise flight performance. When tired or fatigued, flight muscles will lose power, performance will be compromised and inevitably the speed of flight slows. Fatigue can be a consequence of muscle acidosis triggered by the build of H⁺ including from build up of lactic acid in flight muscles during exercise.
Carnosine is a small ‘protein like’ substance in muscle that helps to counteract muscle acidosis by attracting H⁺ ions, acting like a buffer or ‘biological sponge’. STORM^® Avis delivers an increase in muscle carnosine giving better management of muscle acidosis, allowing your birds to maintain speed and power for longer. ProCarnosine^®, a key active ingredient in STORM^® Avis has been conclusively shown to increase the level of carnosine in muscle in many species.
Muscle recovery and repair following intensive flying is essential to allow birds to ‘bounce back’ before the next race or competition. STORM^® Avis provides key nutrients to limit muscle soreness and to support fast recovery by promoting muscle protein synthesis.
STORM^® Avis tackles three crucial issues:

Muscle fuel
Muscle fatigue
Muscle recovery

STORM^® Avis promotes speed, power and endurance and supports recovery following training flights and competition.

STORM Avis – suitability

This scientifically proven revolutionary product can transform your birds, both in training and during racing or competition. STORM^® Avis is suitable for all sporting birds.

Ingredients

STORM^® Avis contains four active ingredients with no excipients or fillers. It combines specialist alpha and beta amino acids, with other amino acid derivatives and a functional carbohydrate to support absorption from the digestive tract. Strict quality control measures are set for sourcing ingredients and manufacturing STORM^® Avis.
STORM^® Avis comes in the form of a liquid which can diluted in the drinking water (1:100 dilution, 20mls into a 2 litre drinker)) or be fed via a syringe to larger birds such as raptors.
Each batch of STORM^® Avis is tested for specified naturally occurring prohibited substances before being released for sale.

Feeding Guide

STORM Avis – is scientifically proven

World-renowned nutritionists have carefully formulated this product and the science is proven by scientific research in horses, dogs and human athletes. The original research that underpins STORM^® Avis was carried out at The Animal Health Trust in Newmarket by the Racing Blue nutritional team. STORM^® Avis is currently being trialled in racing pigeons by leading University researchers as well as with leading fanciers.

STORM Avis – Unique

STORM^® Avis uses a unique combination of proven active ingredients including ProCarnosine^®, which is supported by a suite of global patents covering its use in athletic animals. STORM^® Avis is the only product available proven to deliver such comprehensive support for muscles in sporting birds.

Peshawar Racing Pigeons

The Peshawar Racing Pigeons Association on Friday concluded its longest-ever race of pigeons stretching over a distance of around 650 kilometres from Rajanpur in Punjab to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The winning bird covered the distance in a record seven hours and five minutes, returning home to the Gul Bahar area of Peshawar, according to Qamar Zaman, the association’s president and owner of the winning pigeon.
Zaman was given a motorcycle on winning the competition.
The pigeon that came in second was owned by Wahab Afridi from Bara in Khyber District and the third position holder belonged to Hussain Obaid from Hayatabad Township in Peshawar.
Talking to APP, Qamar said that it was a difficult decision for pigeon lovers to release their birds from such a long distance and added that only 21 pigeons reached home from a total of 100 competitors.
“On the first day of the race held on Thursday, 12 pigeons returned home […] around nine on the second day. The remaining 79 pigeons could not reach home.”
Qamar said racing pigeons are very expensive and a lot of money is spent on their feed and special training is required for covering such a long distance.
He said in some countries, pigeon race is the national game where pigeons having the pedigree of racers are bred and raised. They are especially imported by pigeon-lovers across the world including Pakistan.
He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region is one of the toughest in the country for pigeon racing. Competing pigeons are specially trained by the owners by releasing them frequently from a distance, starting from 10 kilometres to hundreds of kilometres, he added.
In the beginning, the pigeon is released by the owner from Pabbi which is around 13 kilometres from Peshawar and later the distance is increased with the passage of time.
“Birds have the natural ability to assess ways so if we train them from around 100 GPS distance they can make an assessment from four to five hundred kilometres.”
In response to a question about the judgement criteria as to which bird reached at what time, Qamar said that every pigeon carries a code number tied to its leg and as the bird reaches home, the owner calls the organiser to inform them the number and their claim is ascertained by tallying the code.

Pakistan's racing pigeons are champions

Lahore: A flock of pigeons take off from a Lahore roof top at dawn, rising above the city's Mughal-era minarets before disappearing out of sight.
Rather than being viewed as pests, these birds are champions of endurance who evoke a passionate following across Pakistan.
"It is a love affair," says Akhlaq Khan, a famous octogenarian pigeon-fancier and author of the only book on the subject in Pakistan. "You don't see anything there, no difference between the birds," he says, cradling a plump bird with a white body and coloured head.
"But I can tell the worth of each bird by looking at the eyes and feathers."
On his rooftop in a leafy district of Pakistan's cultural capital, hundreds of birds are cooing in massive light blue cages in the sweltering Punjabi summer.
In film and folklore, pigeons, or kabootar are associated with love letters destined for harems and for military orders sent to champion warriors by kings of yesteryear.
"Flying breeds in India were introduced by the Mughals," says Khan referring to the Muslim dynasty that ruled the subcontinent from the early 16th century till the mid-19th.
Pigeon followers broadly class the birds into those known for their competitive flying ability, and those prized for their looks.
Akbar the Great was renowned for his pigeon passion, and, according to one scholar of the court "had 20,000 birds of different types," said Khan.
The Bold and the Beautiful
Millions of fans across the country are enthralled by low and high altitude flying competitions, and races in which opponents attempt to distract each others' birds, etc.
It is a rare pastime that brings together people from different social backgrounds — experts are often illiterate and the owners are rich. A good pigeon can be valued at hundreds of dollars, equivalent to several months salary for many Pakistanis.
Bird cages and enthusiasts can be found on rooftops in the old districts of cities across the country.
Pakistani pigeons and experts have also been taken by Arab royals for tournaments in the Gulf.
For so-called "high-flying" pigeons, the rules are simple: at dawn, each team of seven or eleven pigeons take off from their perches, spend the day flying out of sight, and when they return at nightfall, the flight time of each pigeon is added up and an average is calculated.

The winning team is the one which has the longest average flight time after a total of seven or eleven flights held every two days.
"We fly pigeon around five in morning after stamping them, and if the pigeon comes back around four to five in the evening we consider them good," explains Syed Mehtab Shah, a participant in the Bahrain Cup, one of a number of tournaments organised in spring and autumn.
"I love beating my competitors, it brings me joy and fame," explains the pigeon-fancier from Islamabad, surrounded by several friends who have come to see his pigeons land one evening following an endurance flight.
The conversation halts as two birds, which spent the day flying at 3,000 metres and are recognisable by the pink paint daubed under their wings, come in to land.
Grabbing binoculars, the audience admire the birds' precision landing, which was guided by flags.
Whiskey and steroids
The best champions, capable of flying for more than 12 hours without food or drink in exhausting heat, are showered with luxurious treatment often reserved for humans. The pigeon masters, known as ustads, give their birds long massages with a damp towel and special concoctions to boost performance.
In his book, Khan reveals his diet plans for the winged athletes: crushed almonds, cardamom and Indian lotus seed powder, as well a 'water of life' — laced with cumin, pepper and other spices.
He speaks too of the benefits of port and whisky, illegal in Pakistan, precious saffron and ginseng.
There is no governing body regulating pigeon racing, so other less natural ingredients can creep in to the diet.
"Anabolic steroids, calcium tablets and sometimes sedative tablets are used", says Waqar Haider, a student of Akhlaq Khan, from Rawalpindi.
The victors can take home mobile phones, motorcycles and even cars — proving a winning bird in hand can be worth more than several in the proverbial shrubbery.
In this way, the story of love became a story of money. "It fell into disrepute because people started gambling," explains Khan.
And it has become necessary to deal with the inevitable jealousy.
Haider's wife spends long hours peeling almonds and cooking for her husband's guests during each competition.
She concedes shyly: "He spends more time with his birds with me."