Glossary of Pigeon Terms

AU



Short form of American Racing Pigeon Union.






Aviary


An open structure, usually made of wood and wire, which is attached to the loft to let the pigeons stretch their wings, get some fresh air and take a bath.


Pronounced ‘AveREE’; doesn’t rhyme with apiary, as I previously thought.






Banding


Putting an identity band on the squeaker’s leg on or about the seventh day; all pigeons must be banded to race.






Baskets


Used for training, most commonly used and available is a rectangular shaped box (16” W 30” L 11”H) with a thin plywood bottom with some sort of fabric sides stretched over a light wooden framework. Something you might be able to borrow from a club during your first season.






Bloom


A fine white powder found on the pigeon’s feathers; it is assumed to act as a water proofing and lubricant for the feathers.






Box Perches


A 12-inch square shaped box that is 5-6 inches deep, usually built in sets and attached to the loft wall; these are good for Young Birds as it is easier to catch the birds in this style of perch.






Bucking Bars or Bob Wires


A set of heavy wires in a line covering the opening into a loft where the pigeons enter; the pigeons can push them one way to enter, but a stop at the bottom will not allow them to push them out, so they are locked in the loft.






Clutch


A pair of eggs (three is rare with pigeons) that are laid at the same time by a hen.

 Combine (or Federation)

A group of Pigeon Racing Clubs from the same geographical area.  They organize scheduled races with a transport truck.

CRPU


Acronym that stands for the Canadian Racing Pigeon Union.






CU


An even shorter form for Canadian Racing Pigeon Union (CRPU). Found on all CRPU issued bands.






Driving the Hen


As laying time approaches a cock will start to chase his hen around the loft pecking at her a little; this will last for several days and is meant to stop the hen from looking for an alternate mate.






Familiarization Sessions


The process of familiarizing the bird with the training basket. Done any time of day, but best to feed and water the pigeons in the basket at least once before they are set out on their first race so that the birds will know to drink and eat in the trailer during a hold over.






Fancier


An English term to describe someone who has a special knowledge of the breeding of animals, such as Racing Pigeons.


Federation

See Combine

First Liberation


The first time the Young Birds are basketed for racing and released with other fanciers’ birds at the Race Point






Galley Pot


A small container used to supply feed and water to pairs of birds raising the young in the nest box; they may need extra feed and it also helps squeakers start eating and drinking on their own before they leave the nest






Gizzard


A pigeon’s internal organ which retains grit and performs the function of grinding the pre-softened grain from the crop before it enters the stomach.






Grit


A conglomerate of oyster shells, gravel and red stone. Used to help digest the birds feed and provide calcium through the dissolving of the oyster shells. It is usually put in a separate pot away from the feed. When purchasing, make sure you ask specifically for Pigeon Grit.






Hold Over


A delay in the release of racing birds due to weather or other circumstances; usually refers to as next day release.






Homing Skills


The homing pigeons ability to know where their home loft is. Although there is a debate on how they are able to do this, the theories include magnetoception – the ability to navigate using the earth’s magnetic field, olfactory cues, and visual landmarks such as roadways and other manmade features.






Kit


A team of Young Birds






Kitting Up or Kitted Up


The act of a group of Young Birds forming into flock or Kit of birds as they learn to fly; a team of Young Birds that start to fly together as a flock






Landing Board


A board attached to a side of the loft at the point of entry for the pigeons; it can be any size but should be large enough to facilitate the orientation cage






Late Breds


Youngsters born as a second or third clutch during the warm weather in the summer






Line of Flight


An imaginary line flown from the race release to the general area where the greatest concentration of race lofts is located; good pigeons ignore this imaginary line






Loft


A building used to house pigeons






Moult


The yearly shedding and re-growth of the bird’s feathers; feathers are shed and re-grown one at a time while the body feathers are shed in large quantities in the summer and early fall; tail feathers have their own sequence and area changed within a couple of months






Natural System


Racing your old birds during the season while they go about their natural breeding cycle






Nest Box


Used for breeding. Typically built in units of three or four high and grouped together in the breeding section of the loft. A pair will have a nest box to themselves. They should be installed no later than a month before you plan on putting the hens and cocks together.










Nest Bowls


A bowl made from clay, compressed paper, plastic, wood, etc in which a pair of pigeons will lay their eggs






Nest Plumage


The total set of feathers grown within a month by the newly hatched pigeon






Old Bird


Any pigeon with a previous year’s band






Old Bird Racing


Races involving pigeons of one year of age or older






Orientation Cage


A cage which is put on the Landing Board; the Young Birds are put into it so they can become familiar with the outside of the loft before they are released from the loft to fly for the first time






Plumage


The entire feather covering of the pigeon






Prisoners


Birds kept for breeding purposes which can not be let out of the loft due to the fact they will return to their former loft; birds imported overseas are kept as prisoners






Race Point


A suitable site selected for the release of the racing birds






Ramble


A flight taken by a kit of Young Birds to explore their surroundings; it may last from one to ten hours






Rambling/Ranging


Usually refers to a flock of young birds that, while taking their daily exercise, may travel fifty to seventy five miles from their loft either through sheer exuberance or it may be a natural process that enables them to hone their honing ability






Roost


A perch






Scalping


An aggressive act usually by a cock bird in which the feathers and sometimes the skin is torn from the head and neck of another pigeons; usually involving squeakers which have ventured into the wrong nest box; may also occur with hens at mating time; this condition is not usually fatal, but the bird will carry the scars for life






Second Round Hatches


Pigeons if left to their own devices will raise up to six pairs of young in a year; once a pair of squeakers are about 14 days old the hen will lay two more eggs; Second Round Hatches are the squeakers which are the second round that year; usually they are born in warmer weather and are old enough to race or may be obtained by a novice to start their loft






Security Door


An interior loft door used to prevent the escape of the Stock Birds which are not to be let out






Single Up Toss


A training exercise for Young and Old Birds during which each bird is released individually from the training location in an attempt to give the bird more experience flying and practicing its homing ability; hopefully this will encourage the birds to leave the main flock and head for home on its own






Squeaker


A young pigeon from hatching to about fifty days of age that makes a squeaking noise to let its parents know that it is hungry or in trouble






Stock Bird


A cock or hen which is purchased, raised or retired from the racing team for breeding purposes






Stopped up crop


A pigeon’s crop which is not passing the moistened grain further along the digestive tract; two of the more common causes may be an inflamed exit duct or an obstruction due to foreign matter in the crop






Stragglers


Birds that arrive home late for any number of reasons






Toss


Training pigeons by transporting them to a selected location and releasing them so that they can practice and enhance their homing skills






Trap


An entry box with four and a half inch wide stalls used to restrain a pigeon upon its entering the loft to facilitate the removal of the race band






Trapping


The act of entering the loft through the trap






Treading the Hen


The hen will lie on her stomach while the cock climbs onto her back to consummate the act of fertilization






Weaning


Separating a young bird from its parents so that it can start fending for itself






Wooden Lathe


Strips of wood used for interior fittings in the loft; it is ¼ to 3/8 inch thick by 1 ½ inch wide and made from white pine






Yearling


A pigeon in its second year of life






Young Bird


A pigeon in its first calendar year of life










Source: Most of the terms were taken from the booklet: “A Beginner’s guide to the Canadian Sport of Racing Pigeons” by Tim Mason.