Racing Homer
Encyclopedia
A Racing Homer is a breed
of pigeon
that has been selectively
bred for more speed, and enhanced homing instinct
for the sport of Pigeon racing
. A popular domestic pigeon breed, the Racing Homer is also one of the newest.
, French Cumulet, English Carrier
, Dragoon
, and the Horseman (now lost). From the high-flying Cumulet, the Homer received its endurance, the ability to fly for hours on end without tiring. From the Carrier, it inherited the ability to find its way home from great distances.
growing into a popular sport throughout Western Europe and, beginning in the early Twentieth Century, in the United States. Large purses are offered for race winners.
All participants in World War I made use of the Racing Homer's ability to carry messages, with the British alone employing approximately 9,500 birds. The Second World War once more saw the major powers make use of the Homing Pigeon.
Over the years, the racing pigeon has led to a number of other breeds, such as the American Show Racer
, the Giant Homer (bred for utility meat purposes
), among others.
800,000 for a racing pigeon at auction. The auction, where he bought several other birds, was held after the Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race. A pigeon was in the headlines in 1998 when its owner gave her to a friend in Algeciras, southern Spain, after retiring from breeding racing pigeons. The bird named Boomerang promptly flew the 1,200 miles back home. The bird was given away again but kept returning home. Recently after ten years away the bird returned once again.
In recent years, GPS (global positioning system) tracking devices are getting smaller and smaller. In late 2009, a company by the name of PigeonTrack introduced a GPS tracking device specifically for racing pigeons. The idea behind this was to develop a very lightweight system, in this case 16 grams, so that the bird could be trained to carry it 50, 60, 70 miles. This is equivalent to an average man carrying just a 6 pound backpack on a hike.
By using this miniature GPS data logger, one is able to see how a bird tries to find its way home so that one can continue training along that line after the bird leaves the race flock and flies to its home loft.
This product’s harness is designed after the Swedish harness used by their military to as late as 1994. In removing the 1 ¾” (44 millimeters) data logger, and plugging it into one’s computer and using program provided in the kit, one can see the terrain and the elevation of where the bird traveled. This allows the fancier to map out better release points for training the bird. Instead of just training it the way you think it wants to fly home from that 50 mile mark, you now train it the way instinct tells the bird to go home.
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 pigeon
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...
that has been selectively
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,...
bred for more speed, and enhanced homing instinct
Homing (biology)
Homing is the inherent ability of an animal to navigate towards an original location through unfamiliar areas. This location may be either a home territory, or a breeding spot.-Uses:...
for the sport of Pigeon racing
Pigeon racing
Pigeon racing is the sport of releasing specially trained racing pigeons, which then return to their homes over a carefully measured distance...
. A popular domestic pigeon breed, the Racing Homer is also one of the newest.
Development
Racing pigeons were first developed in Belgium and England during the Nineteenth Century. They are the result of crossing of a number of other breeds, primarily the SmerleAntwerp Smerle
The Antwerp Smerle is a breed of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding. Antwerp Smerles, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons, are all descendants from the Rock Pigeon . The Smerle was one of the breeds used in the development of the Racing Homer....
, French Cumulet, English Carrier
English Carrier
The English Carrier is a breed of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding. English Carriers, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons, are all descendants of the Rock Pigeon...
, Dragoon
Dragoon (pigeon)
The Dragoon is a breed of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding. Dragoons, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons, are all descendants from the Rock Pigeon . The Dragoon was one of the breeds used in the development of the Racing Homer.A very old breed of British...
, and the Horseman (now lost). From the high-flying Cumulet, the Homer received its endurance, the ability to fly for hours on end without tiring. From the Carrier, it inherited the ability to find its way home from great distances.
History
Pigeons have been used to carry messages for centuries. However, during the Nineteenth Century, the communication value of the bird—especially for carrying messages during war—became appreciated. Breeders competed to develop ever faster birds. Competitions soon developed, with pigeon racingPigeon racing
Pigeon racing is the sport of releasing specially trained racing pigeons, which then return to their homes over a carefully measured distance...
growing into a popular sport throughout Western Europe and, beginning in the early Twentieth Century, in the United States. Large purses are offered for race winners.
All participants in World War I made use of the Racing Homer's ability to carry messages, with the British alone employing approximately 9,500 birds. The Second World War once more saw the major powers make use of the Homing Pigeon.
Other uses
Apart from the sport of racing against each other, fanciers also exhibit racing pigeons at organised shows and have a judge decide who has the better bird. British Homing World holds a show each year where all profits from the event are donated to both national and local charities, including Help the Aged and the Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.Over the years, the racing pigeon has led to a number of other breeds, such as the American Show Racer
American Show Racer
The American Show Racer pigeon is known as the "Bird of Dignity".The breed began in the early 1950s with the finest Racing Homers selected for their breed type. Levi mentions Show Pen Racers in his book The Pigeon. He describes the early development of the breed in the U.S.A. and early breeders of...
, the Giant Homer (bred for utility meat purposes
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...
), among others.
In the news
In February 2008 a pigeon fancier paid a South African record RSouth African rand
The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"...
800,000 for a racing pigeon at auction. The auction, where he bought several other birds, was held after the Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race. A pigeon was in the headlines in 1998 when its owner gave her to a friend in Algeciras, southern Spain, after retiring from breeding racing pigeons. The bird named Boomerang promptly flew the 1,200 miles back home. The bird was given away again but kept returning home. Recently after ten years away the bird returned once again.
How birds find their way home
In the last decade or so, it was discovered that racing pigeons, as well as migratory birds, use the earth’s magnetic field to find their way home. This is done via the particular bacteria, Mg (magnetospirillum gryphiswaldenses), along with a particular protein science has named Nam-J. This combination creates microscopic magnetite material that attaches to the bird’s brain stem. With the correct sun rays the bird is able to paint a picture of different magnetic fields. This magnetic homing ability in racing pigeons only works for distances more than 50 miles away from the loft. When the bird comes within 50 miles of its loft, the magnetic field is not changing enough, and the bird finds its way home by memory.In recent years, GPS (global positioning system) tracking devices are getting smaller and smaller. In late 2009, a company by the name of PigeonTrack introduced a GPS tracking device specifically for racing pigeons. The idea behind this was to develop a very lightweight system, in this case 16 grams, so that the bird could be trained to carry it 50, 60, 70 miles. This is equivalent to an average man carrying just a 6 pound backpack on a hike.
By using this miniature GPS data logger, one is able to see how a bird tries to find its way home so that one can continue training along that line after the bird leaves the race flock and flies to its home loft.
This product’s harness is designed after the Swedish harness used by their military to as late as 1994. In removing the 1 ¾” (44 millimeters) data logger, and plugging it into one’s computer and using program provided in the kit, one can see the terrain and the elevation of where the bird traveled. This allows the fancier to map out better release points for training the bird. Instead of just training it the way you think it wants to fly home from that 50 mile mark, you now train it the way instinct tells the bird to go home.