TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Foreword 3
- Acknowledgments 7
- Table of Contents 9
- Chapter 1 – Introduction to Pigeons and Racing 15
- Pigeons in the Ancient World 17
- Pigeons in Europe 18
- World Wars I and II 19
- Pigeon Racing in Belgium 19
- Pigeon Racing in the United States 21
- Pigeon Racing in Great Britain 22
- Chapter 2 – Racing Pigeon Husbandry 25
- Picking a Spot for Your Loft 26
- Pigeon Equipment 27
- Types of Lofts 27
- Flooring 29
- Sectioning Your Loft 30
- Nest Boxes 31
- Perches 32
- Traps 32
- Landing Board 32
- Attached Aviary 33
- Ventilation 33
- Basic Loft Supplies 34
- Loft Maintenance 35
- Feed 36
- The Food Call 38
- Water 38
- Grit 39
- Breeding Pigeons 39
- Genetic Considerations 40
- Mating and Rearing 42
- Chapter 3 – Diseases and Health Concerns 45
- Recognizing a Healthy Bird 45
- Common Diseases 48
- Ornithosis 48
- Trichomoniasis (Canker) 49
- Paramyxovirus (PMV) 50
- Coccidiosis 50
- Salmonellosis (Paratyphus) 51
- Adeno-coli Syndrome 51
- Hexamitiasis 53
- Mycoplasmosis Catarrh 53
- Worms and External Parasites 54
- Chapter 4 – How Races Are Conducted 55
- Club or Traditional Races 56
- One Loft Races 56
- Understanding Timing Methods 57
- Release and Race Hazards 59
- Chapter 5 – Pigeon Types and Breeds 61
- Representative Pigeon Breeds 66
- Aachen Lacquer Shield Owl 66
- Absy Egyptian Swift 67
- African Owl 67
- Altenburger Trumpeter 67
- American Bohemian Pouter 68
- American Giant Homer 68
- American Show Racer 68
- Archangel 69
- Armenian Tumbler 69
- Australian Performing Tumbler 69
- Australian Saddleback Tumbler 69
- Barb 70
- Birmingham Roller 70
- Carneau 70
- Carrier 71
- Chinese Nasal Tufted 71
- Chinese Owl 71
- Cumulet 72
- Donek 72
- Dragoon 72
- English Carrier 72
- Fantail 73
- Florentine 73
- Frillback 73
- German Colored Tail Owl 74
- German Nun 74
- Ice Pigeon 74
- Iranian Highflier 74
- Jacobin 75
- Kelebek 75
- Kiev Tumbler 75
- King 76
- Komorner Tumbler 76
- Lahore 76
- Magpie 77
- Maltese 77
- Modena 77
- Old German Owl 77
- Oriental Frill 78
- Scandaroon 78
- Schmalkender Moorhead (Mohrenkopf) 78
- Schoneberger Streifige Tumbler 79
- Seraphim Pigeon 79
- Serbian Highflier 79
- Shack Kee 80
- Shakhsharli 80
- Show Cumulet 80
- South German Monk 81
- Strasser 81
- Tippler 81
- Turbit 82
- Ural Striped Maned Pigeon 82
- Zitterhall (Stargarder Zitterhals, Stargard Shaker) 82
- Chapter 6 – The Basics of Training Your Pigeons 83
- Training Tosses 83
- Food Management and Training 85
- Working with Older Birds 86
- The Fine Points of Training 87
- Afterword 89
- Appendix I – List of Pigeon Breeds 91
- Relevant Websites 109
- Glossary 113
- Index 133
