English Pouter
Encyclopedia
The English Pouter is a breed
of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding
. English Pouter
s, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons
, are all descendants from the Rock Pigeon
. A breed with an enlarged crop
, their distinctiveness was described by Charles Darwin
in The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication
(1868).
proposed that the English Pouter originated from cross breeding the old pigeon breeds the Dutch Cropper, Uploper and the Parisian Pouter. Each of these breeds is described in works dating from the 17th century. However, in an earlier account, John Moore suggested that the breed was the result of cross breeding between a type of cropper and horseman (both 18th century pigeon types). Historically, the English Pouter was also called the Pouting Horseman, due to the links with the Horseman breed. The modern breeds of croppers, such as the Norwich Cropper
, originate from the English Pouter.
Charles Darwin
described the English Pouter in his 1868 work The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication
, saying that the breed was "perhaps the most distinct of all domesticated pigeons".
, the English Pouter is descended from the Rock Pigeon
(Columba livia), and has been developed over years through selective breeding
of individuals with specific characteristics. It is a breed of fancy pigeon, that being a type of pigeon kept by pigeon fanciers
as part of the fancy pigeon group as opposed to Flying/Sporting Pigeons
or Utility pigeon
s. The Pouter is long limbed with an enlarged crop
, and overall a large body.
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding
Selective breeding
Selective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...
. English Pouter
Pouter
The Pouter pigeons are domesticated varieties of the Rock Pigeon, Columba livia, characterized by a very large, inflatable crop. They are kept as ornamental or fancy breeds, valued for their unusual appearance. There are many varieties of pouter with little in common except for the nature of the...
s, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons
Domestic Pigeon
The Domestic Pigeon was derived from the Rock Pigeon. The Rock Pigeon is the world's oldest domesticated bird. Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets mention the domestication of pigeons more than 5,000 years ago, as do Egyptian hieroglyphics.Research suggests that domestication of pigeons was as early as...
, are all descendants from the Rock Pigeon
Rock Pigeon
The Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon"....
. A breed with an enlarged crop
Crop (anatomy)
A crop is a thin-walled expanded portion of the alimentary tract used for the storage of food prior to digestion that is found in many animals, including gastropods, earthworms, leeches, insects, birds, and even some dinosaurs.- Bees :Cropping is used by bees to temporarily store nectar of flowers...
, their distinctiveness was described by Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
in The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication
The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication
The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication is a book written by Charles Darwin that was first published in January 1868.A large proportion of the book contains detailed information on the domestication of animals and plants but it also contains in Chapter XXVII a description of...
(1868).
History
William Bernhardt TegetmeierWilliam Bernhardt Tegetmeier
William Bernhardt Tegetmeier was a noted English naturalist , a founder of the Savage Club, and a writer and journalist of domestic science....
proposed that the English Pouter originated from cross breeding the old pigeon breeds the Dutch Cropper, Uploper and the Parisian Pouter. Each of these breeds is described in works dating from the 17th century. However, in an earlier account, John Moore suggested that the breed was the result of cross breeding between a type of cropper and horseman (both 18th century pigeon types). Historically, the English Pouter was also called the Pouting Horseman, due to the links with the Horseman breed. The modern breeds of croppers, such as the Norwich Cropper
Norwich Cropper
The Norwich Cropper is a breed of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding. The Norwich Cropper along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons are all descendants from the Rock Pigeon . The Norwich Cropper is thought to have been developed from a breed called the Oploper and...
, originate from the English Pouter.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
described the English Pouter in his 1868 work The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication
The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication
The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication is a book written by Charles Darwin that was first published in January 1868.A large proportion of the book contains detailed information on the domestication of animals and plants but it also contains in Chapter XXVII a description of...
, saying that the breed was "perhaps the most distinct of all domesticated pigeons".
Description
As with all breeds of domesticated pigeonsDomestic Pigeon
The Domestic Pigeon was derived from the Rock Pigeon. The Rock Pigeon is the world's oldest domesticated bird. Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets mention the domestication of pigeons more than 5,000 years ago, as do Egyptian hieroglyphics.Research suggests that domestication of pigeons was as early as...
, the English Pouter is descended from the Rock Pigeon
Rock Pigeon
The Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon"....
(Columba livia), and has been developed over years through selective breeding
Selective breeding
Selective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...
of individuals with specific characteristics. It is a breed of fancy pigeon, that being a type of pigeon kept by pigeon fanciers
Pigeon keeping
Pigeon keeping is the art and science of breeding domestic pigeons. People have practiced pigeon keeping for about 10,000 years in almost every part of the world...
as part of the fancy pigeon group as opposed to Flying/Sporting Pigeons
Flying/Sporting Pigeons
Flying/Sporting is the name of one of three main groupings of breeds of domesticated pigeons used by pigeon fanciers in the United States. The other two are Fancy and Utility....
or Utility pigeon
Utility pigeon
Utility pigeons are domesticated pigeons bred for a source of meat called squab. Squabs have been used as a food by many nations for centuries. They were selected as birds that would breed and grow quickly...
s. The Pouter is long limbed with an enlarged crop
Crop (anatomy)
A crop is a thin-walled expanded portion of the alimentary tract used for the storage of food prior to digestion that is found in many animals, including gastropods, earthworms, leeches, insects, birds, and even some dinosaurs.- Bees :Cropping is used by bees to temporarily store nectar of flowers...
, and overall a large body.