Pigeon is a collective name for hundreds of species of birds in the pigeon-shaped pigeon family, we usually say and see mostly carrier pigeons, and today I want to introduce you to the traditional ornamental pigeons unique to the Guanzhong region of Shaanxi. Guanzhong ornamental pigeon has a history of more than 400 years, is the earliest artificial cross-breeding breed, at first popular in the court, slowly introduced to the folk. With the change of history and the difficulty of breeding, the number of ornamental pigeons is getting smaller and smaller, and it is on the verge of disappearing.
Big white circles
It is the most distinctive feature of the Guanzhong ornamental pigeons
Guanzhong people will be ornamental pigeons collectively called "short mouth", because here the older generation of people on the play of pigeons are extremely demanding, no matter what breed, the body shape should be symmetrical, the mouth must be short and thick and white, and the nose is flat, commonly known as "clean mouth", the mouth with a little black called "oil mouth", all black called "iron mouth", the length of the mouth generally does not exceed 2 cm; the nose must be pink, the two nose beans should be large and separated; the claws are pink and the legs cannot have hair; the coat color is clean and cannot have stray hairs; the eye rings are pink and large. The hen has a round head and a beautiful eyebrow, like a girl with a jade stand; the has a full head, a slightly forward chest, and a sense of might, and also requires the to have a crest, that is, above the bridge of the cock's nose, there must be a few hairs like small shells standing upright in the center of the brain gate. Golden Eyes White, Blood Eyes Black, Two Heads of Squeezed Eyes, Golden Well Jade Railing, Jade Wings, Black Crane Heart, Unicorn Flower... There were more than 20 varieties at most, but now there are only about 10 that can be seen. It is divided into four color systems: white, black, tile blue, rust red, and the two colors of black and white have the most varieties.
Guanzhong ornamental pigeons have their own unique features: Beijing ornamental pigeon nose beans are one, and Guanzhong ornamental pigeons are divided into two, which is more beautiful; ornamental pigeons in Northeast China, Xinjiang and other places have hair on their legs, while Guanzhong ornamental pigeons have no hair on their legs, revealing long pink legs, which are more ornamental; the large white circles are also the most distinctive places for Guanzhong ornamental pigeons.
Low reproductive capacity
It is the main reason why there are fewer and fewer ornamental pigeons in Guanzhong
The low reproductive ability and the low survival rate of offspring due to short mouths are the primary reasons for the decline in ornamental pigeons in Guanzhong. Although under normal circumstances, pigeons can breed six or seven times a year, for ornamental pigeons, it is not bad that an old pair can successfully raise two young birds a year. After the hen lays the eggs, the hens take turns to incubate the eggs, and the cocks enter the nest at 9 a.m. every day to hatch, and the hens come out of the nest to feed and move. The hens hatch from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day. In this way, the male and female alternate until the young birds hatch. After the young birds have hatched, the hens and cocks together secrete milk and feed the young birds. The incubation period of pigeon eggs is generally about 17 days, after which the young birds have not yet hatched, the pigeons will abandon the old nest and find a new nest to lay eggs and hatch again. The second reason is the impact of carrier pigeons. Ornamental pigeons are limited by their vision and physical strength, and their flight distance is limited, so more and more pigeons are breeding. The third reason is that the flight speed is slow, so it is often attacked by eagle falcons and other well-known species, such as copperback and hemp back, which can only be seen in ancient paintings of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Players have collected and bred Guanzhong ornamental pigeons
In recent years, because the good Guanzhong ornamental pigeon is becoming more and more difficult to see, its value has also begun to rise all the way, a pair of pigeons as little as a few thousand yuan, more than tens of thousands of yuan. However, there is still no market, and only the best Quality Guanzhong Ornamental Pigeons can be seen in the surrounding countryside or players, but players have begun to collect and breed Guanzhong Ornamental Pigeons. Pigeons are "monogamous" birds that, once paired, are emotionally exclusive and inseparable. In order to avoid the degradation of varieties caused by inbreeding, there are planned artificial selections. Usually, a good pair of ornamental pigeons, the owner will give them three pairs of "nanny pigeons", help them hatch the young birds and provide milk to the young birds, to ensure the survival rate of the young birds. I hope that through the efforts of enthusiasts, these unique ornamental pigeon breeds in the Guanzhong region of Shaanxi Province will continue... Wu Hongbo Guo Hongwei Text/Photo