The Birmingham Russian Pigeon
Simply put, the Birmingham Roller pigeon is characterized by its unique ability to turn backwards and rotate with inestimable speed over considerable distances downward. This is the only aerial artist that can boast a standard. The most talented of all, he is unrivaled and the King of all high-flying acrobats. The standard is contained in a few simple words and its importance is so great that it should never be allowed to lose sight of it. The banner reads as follows: The true Birmingham pigeon turning backward with inconceivable speed over a considerable distance like a spinning ball. I have always been very pleased to quote this description because, not only does it put the pigeon in a class of its own, but because it was evidently held in high esteem at the beginning of the last century when this quality standard was published. This performance is performed at frequent intervals during the flight, from when they are released until they return to their loft. They excel as fliers, in fact there are none better. They possess a high degree of intelligence and will live a useful life to old age. I have owned and seen many birds between the ages of nine and fifteen that could fly and roll in first class order, and also produce progeny just like them.
Plate roller pigeon
The peculiarity of this pigeon is the way it turns. The bird follows a course identical to that of a plate of food when pressed with the finger and turned in a not too fast motion. Its wings are outstretched and do not follow a direct course. A backbend is a rare occurrence with these pigeons. The plate roller is about the least skilled turner around, although a flock properly selected and trained to act in unison will roll down for considerable distances. This type of performer has very few followers.
The medium roller pigeon
This title is mine and is intended to try to illustrate another type of popular performer. This bird stands out for its ability to roll several feet with good style, and without stopping, it adds to this performance a series of erratic movements in all directions. They also have an apparent ability to stop acting at will. A kit of these pigeons, when presented simultaneously, puts on an astonishing spectacle that even the most judgmental fanciers cannot ignore or fail to give a lot of credit.
The tumbling pigeon
This term can mean anything, but it mainly refers to people who are capable of doing anything but roll and spin. Their quality is poor and they have nothing to praise. Their performance is extremely limited and therefore they lend themselves very skilfully to perform in concert. Since the results of competition flights depend on the number of “turns”, they are ideal for winning prizes. The lower the execution capacity of an individual pigeon, the more frequent will be the performance of several of them in unison. In turn, the depth of the ‘turn’ or simultaneous execution, in addition to its quality, will be very short. The better the quality as an individual, a performer, the more the depth and quality of the ‘turn’ will become, when it is made up of higher quality birds.
Rolling pigeons and lounger pigeons are truly a beautiful sight!