The flight of pigeons in the sky is always a bewitching picture. But when crescent pigeons are circling, it is difficult to take your eyes off their unusual flap of wings that resemble a sickle. Thanks to this, they got their name. Crescent dance is called their amazing whirling in the air. During the flight, the bird does not just wave its wings, but seeks to turn them around, so they are also called inverted pigeons.
Origin
The breed was bred in ancient times, either in Syria or in Turkey, scientists still have not given an exact answer. And only at the beginning of the XX century they appeared in the Ukrainian city of Nikolaev. Birds interested pigeon lovers and quickly spread throughout Ukraine. In the city of Ochakovo, pigeon breeders Kirichenko and Kreiser were engaged in breeding and bred three species of birds:
- Garkushinsky;
- Kalachovsky;
- Muzikinsky.
They selected the best individuals, carried out crossbreeding, improved flight abilities, as a result of which the birds mastered new elements of tricks. Birds became the pride of the city and were called Ochakovo inverted pigeons.
Appearance
The sizes of sickle pigeons are small, about 40 cm, but these are birds with a well-defined muscular body. They differ in a curved profile and a small head, short legs, up to eight centimeters, and a dense plumage. The chest is not wide and small. Folded wings reach almost to the tip of the tail. From the other pigeons they are distinguished by the presence of a convex fourth wing joint. This peculiarity of their structure makes the flight unique, creating the possibility of a crescent bend.
The color of the bird does not affect the breed and is very diverse: white, gray, black, ashen, may contain shades of red, orange and blue. To determine the purity of the breed, bird eyes are used - the brighter they are, the more signs of this species are present.
Lifestyle & Nutrition
Crescent pigeons are very unpretentious, but very energetic creatures. They can easily adapt to the climate and adverse living conditions. They are bred by both experienced pigeon breeders and those who have no experience in this matter. The only condition for their normal existence is space. For breeding this breed attics and balconies are not suitable, a spacious, bright and clean dovecote is needed.
They quickly breed and breed well offspring. Birds prefer single and twin flights, although they feel good in a flock. For food use cereals and legumes, preference is given to the latter and millet. These pigeons have such features of the structure of the intestine as its small length, so the birds are fed with easily processed food.
Flight features
A special flap of the wings is the main thing that distinguishes the Ochakov sickle pigeons from other breeds. Some consider that the climate of the Black Sea coast had a considerable influence on the development of the flying ability of birds. The presence of strong sea winds contributed to the development and strengthening of muscles in eversion pigeons. Thanks to this, they quickly adapt to changes in wind direction. The bend of the sickle in Ochakovsky can be pronounced or insignificant. It depends on whether the feathers at the ends of the wings are closed in a ring or slightly bent. In the air, pigeons do not circle, but fly horizontally to the ground, and it seems that the flight is slow.
Sickle pigeons in the Winteries
This is one of the most famous species that is common among pigeon breeders. They are bred everywhere because of the unusual flight that they make. So, and N. Kulagin, a resident of the Rostov region, the village of Zimovniki, has his dovecote. He not only admires the flight of these wonderful birds, but also shoots them on video and uploads them to the Internet, collecting many views. In flight, pigeons soar alone, in pairs and in a group, with a strong wind, beautifully rising and falling, or even hovering in the sky.
