What makes a high-performance carrier pigeon? Between theory, genetics and lived practice

In racing pigeon breeding, there has always been a desire for performance foresee even before a pigeon goes on its first race. Numerous observation and assessment methods have therefore been developed over generations. They are part of the culture of our sport and are valuable because they help us to perceive, compare and better understand pigeons.

Many breeders work with finely honed theoretical models, for example:

• Eye theories to assess vitality, orientation or inheritance strength
• Pigmentation on tail or wing feathers as possible indications of metabolism, vitality or feather quality
• Shape of certain cover springs under the sash
• and elasticity and shape of the hand wings, feather structure
• Musculature, sternum, backbone, back line, throat and breathing

These characteristics are intensively considered and discussed in shows, at exhibitions and in discussions.
And this activity makes sense: it trains your perception and feeling for pigeons.

But:

No single characteristic can predict with certainty whether a pigeon will achieve top performance in the long term.

The decisive factor is the Total from motivation, physiology, orientation, resilience and regeneration capacity, and this sum is reflected in the only in the race.

What do scientific studies show?

The study by Mercieca et al. investigated whether external body characteristics such as wing length, breast depth or body weight are directly related to flight speed. The result was clear:

No single external characteristic reliably explains the actual travel performance.

Pigeons with long wings or deeper chests were not automatically faster. The decisive factors were the interaction and functional performance of the overall system, in particular musculature, energy balance, orientation and stress resistance in flight.

Source: Mercieca S, Jilly B, Gáspárdy A (2017) Connection among Body Measurements and Flying Speed of Racing Pigeon. Int J Agric Sc Food Technol 3(1): 009-018

At the same time, the genetic study by Kolvenbag et al. was able to show that certain Gene variants can influence certain aspects of performance, for example:

But the same applies here:

No single gene "makes" a top aircraft.
Performance is only achieved in combination with training, health and mental resilience.

Source: Geert Kolvenbag, Mark Scott, Arne de Kloet, Ed de Kloet (2022), Prospective study relating genotype profiles with race performance. Journal of Applied Genetics 63:563-570

What does this mean for the practice of breeding?

I understand pigeons as Functional whole organismswhose performance is generated on several levels simultaneously:

1. Genetics: It defines the framework within which metabolism, regeneration and orientation are possible.
2. Musculature & energy supply: Especially the Fat metabolism determines stamina on long flights.
3. Sash mechanism & spring quality: Not the form "according to theory", but Efficiency counts in practice.
4. Mental capacity: The instinct to return home, orientation, calmness and stress resistance are crucial.
5. Training & health management: Without it, potential remains unutilised.

A pigeon is not good because it is "beautiful".
It is good because it repeated home quickly in the heat, rain, headwinds and over long distances.

And that's exactly how I rate pigeons:
I trust in Performance, consistency and regeneration.

The ability to recover after a hard flight to be back at competition level within a few daysFor me, this is one of the strongest performance indicators of all.

Why I continue to check, feel, observe but in the end decide the list

Of course, the judgement of a pigeon in the hand still plays a role.
liveliness, musculature, plumage quality and body balance say something about Condition and Readiness for training but they say nothow the pigeon will react under the real conditions of a race.

And this is exactly where pigeons become competitors: in the air, in the wind, under pressure, at the decisive moment of orientation.

That's why I trust my eyes and my hands, but at the end of the day I trust the Results in the list.

Because what the pigeon in the Basket, in the Air and in the Price list is what it really is.