If you have just fallen in love with pigeons, you might be looking to get one but which one? I recommend buying a breed that makes an excellent pet and also looks gorgeous. In this article, I have listed 10 pigeon breeds that are adorable as pets and also look beautiful; let’s discuss them.
Indian Fantail
Indian fantails are native to India and Pakistan but they are easily available in almost all countries. In fact, they might be the most commonly available fancy pigeon breed. By nature, it is a friendly breed; easy to bond with. Indian fantails can fly but not much; they prefer staying around their loft most of the time. This is why many pigeon keepers let their Indian fantail out all day cause they know the bird will stick around the loft.
Lahore Sherazi
Lahore pigeon (also known as sherazi and siraji pigeon) originated in Lahore (Pakistan). It is an old breed that has existed in Pakistan & India for centuries but its recorded history starts from the 1800s when they were brought to Germany where it got famous. It is probably the best flyer pigeon breed on this list that is also one of the best breeds to keep as pets. Lahore pigeons never stop fascinating you with their beauty; their unique color patterns and muffs make them gorgeous. They are easy to tame and train.
Blondinette
Blondinette pigeon (also known as the modern oriental frill pigeon) originated in Izmir (Turkish city) around the 1740s. For centuries, Blondinette and Satinette (a related oriental frill breed) was limited to only Turkish sultans and this is why they were given the name “Hunkari” (the bird of sultan).
Blondinette’s beak is so small that it can’t feed its babies well and this is why its babies are often fostered under other pigeons or reared on hand-feed. Oftentimes, because of hand-feeding, the blondinettes end up bonding with the breeder and get tamed. Overall, Blondinette is a loving breed; easy to befriend.
Modena
Modena pigeon originated in Modena (Italian city) centuries ago. The exact year of origin is unknown but its recorded history starts from the 14th century when modena pigeon used to be slim and smart and was used for intense pigeon racing & pigeon theft. There is very little information available on how it got into the muscular shape but this happened around the 19th century. [1]
Today, modena pigeons are commonly kept as pets. In fact, they are one of the best breeds for beginners because they don’t easily fall sick in extreme climates (unlike many other breeds).
Nun
Nun pigeon’s exact origin is unknown but it is believed to have originated in Europe as it has always been commonly available there. The recorded history of nun pigeon starts from the 17th century. According to literature, it was actually a tumbler breed but with the passage of time, pigeon keepers started breeding it for exhibitions. Today, nun pigeon is raised only for exhibitions and it is famous for its nun-like look. There is evidence to believe that nun pigeon is closely related to helmet pigeon and both have common ancestors.
Pigmy Pouter
Pigmy pouter (also known as boulant pigmy pouter) breed originated in England during the 1920s. Back at that time, the English pouter was famous for its great height & gorgeous looks. The pigeon fanciers decided to produce a drawf (shorter) version of English pouter and through cross-breeding between English pouter, brunner, Norwich cropper & Saxon pouter, the pigmy pouter was developed. [2] Since pigmy pouter has a strong resemblance to both English pouters and brunner, some breeders still refuse to recognize it as a new breed.
Anyways, pigmy pouters become excellent pets. They are good at breeding, they do not require any special care and they are easy to bond with. However, they require a heightened cage and good space.
Old Dutch Capuchine
Old Dutch capuchine is an old breed of fancy pigeons that dates back to the early 16th century. The exact country of origin is unknown but according to literature, the breed was brought to the Netherlands from India and the Middle East in 1661. But the breed got its modern shape in the early 1900s when the English & American breeders started working on it.
In some ways, the Old Dutch capuchine has a resemblance to the famous jacobin pigeon. It has a nice hood that partially covers the sides of its face and a nice structure. Pigeon keepers that have experience in raising & breeding old Dutch capuchine say its a good breed to keep as a pet. [3]
Helmet Pigeon
Helmet pigeon, also known as helmet crested pigeon originated sometime before the 15th century in Persia. Years of selective breeding by German and American pigeon breeders helped refine this breed. The helmet pigeon was once a good tumbler breed, now it is used only for exhibitions. It is fun to keep; it is intelligent and vibrant. In fact, it enjoys being handled which is uncommon in many breeds.
Ice Pigeon
Ice pigeon, also known as Lazurek & Eistaube originated in Germany. Its recorded history starts from the 19th century. Ice pigeon was given the name “ice” because of its unique color pattern which is usually grey but it appears slightly ice-blue in certain conditions. Today, 6 different color variants of ice pigeon exist; thanks to Charles Darwin who worked on the colors of ice pigeon back in 1846. [4]
Even though ice pigeons are slightly shy and take time to befriend new owners but once they do, they become excellent pets. Given their loving nature and beautiful color pattern, I recommend ice pigeons as pets unless you have a dust allergy. Ice pigeons produce white dust which is somehow associated with its unique color. This white dust is not good for people who have dust allergies. [5]
Turbit Pigeon
Turbit pigeon is also known as the cravate turbit, turbitmovchen, and turbito. The recorded history of turbit pigeon starts from 1679 when it was recognized as an individual breed by Willughby. [6] However, the modern turbit was developed in the 19th century in England. It is believed to be a result of cross-breeding between Anatolian owl and antwerp pigeon [7] and hence it has a friendly nature like owls.
Final Thoughts
The breeds mentioned above are just the ones that are believed to be the best as pets but this doesn’t mean other breeds can’t be good pets. Every pigeon breed has its own charms and requirements; it depends on you whether you can take good care, give lots of time and provide good space or not. You should choose a breed accordingly.
If this is your very first time keeping a pet pigeon, I recommend Lahore pigeons and Indian fantails, they are easy to keep. I have raised both and I have found both easy to get along with and raise. However, if you have some experience keeping pigeons, you can keep almost any breed. Let me know in the comments, which of the above pigeons seems the best for you.
Bilal is a freelance writer and a content creator. He has been in the pigeon hobby for over 15 years. His deep interest in pigeon keeping enabled him to explore the development of various pigeon breeds and share them with the community.
