Indian Fantail
Encyclopedia
The Indian Fantail is a breed
of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding
. Indian Fantails, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons
are all descendants from the Rock Pigeon
(Columba livia).
The introduction of this variety to the U.S.A. was a strange one. In 1926. A shipment of four pythons was on its way to the San Diego Zoo
in California
from India
.
The journey over seas lasted many days and to ensure the reptiles didn’t go hungry, Indian fantail pigeons, found exclusively in India until then, were given to the pythons as snake feed.
By the time the ship reached California, only two survived.
The keepers at the San Diego Zoo who had obviously never seen Indian fantail pigeons before were so taken by their distinct looks that they decided to keep, and later breed and develop them. It was from these two lucky birds that the species of Indian fantail pigeons spread beyond Indian shores and reached the farthest corners of the world.
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,...
. Indian Fantails, 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"....
(Columba livia).
The introduction of this variety to the U.S.A. was a strange one. In 1926. A shipment of four pythons was on its way to the San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, is one of the most progressive zoos in the world, with over 4,000 animals of more than 800 species...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
The journey over seas lasted many days and to ensure the reptiles didn’t go hungry, Indian fantail pigeons, found exclusively in India until then, were given to the pythons as snake feed.
By the time the ship reached California, only two survived.
The keepers at the San Diego Zoo who had obviously never seen Indian fantail pigeons before were so taken by their distinct looks that they decided to keep, and later breed and develop them. It was from these two lucky birds that the species of Indian fantail pigeons spread beyond Indian shores and reached the farthest corners of the world.