Pigeons' flight on target

UAE fancier is elated by the performance of his birds at a recent race in Saudi Arabia

For ages, homing pigeons have been known as reliable messengers. Today, these birds are seen more often at pigeon races across the world. Ihab Fathy, a pigeon fancier in the UAE, participated in the recently-concluded GCC pigeon races organised by the Saudi Arabian Federation of Pigeon Races. His pigeon took fifth place out of the 550.

Fathy entered seven pigeons of different breeds for a fee of Dh250 per bird. "I entered my pigeons in the 'one-point loft' race for the first time and can't believe that they won so many prizes," he says.

He states that the race was a good barometer of the capabilities of fanciers in the region because participants belonged to Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi, UAE and Kuwait. Participants had to obtain a health certificate for the pigeons before taking them to Dammam for the race.

All birds were given the same feed. They also raced under similar weather conditions. The birds had to fly a distance of 250km starting at a loft in Dammam and returning back to the same loft.
An electronic devise fitted under the birds' wing showed that Fathy's bird returned back to the loft just six seconds after the first one.

"I was so happy when I heard that my pigeons had done so well. My family couldn't believe it and they were glad as well because they were the ones who helped feed and clean the pigeons. The prize money was like icing on the cake," says Fathy.

But he had to sell the winning pigeons. "The rule of the one-point loft race is that all participating birds are sold at an auction with the proceeds divided between the owner and the organising body. All seven of my birds were auctioned at high prices," he says. So can the new owners race them?
"No they can't.

If the birds are released, they will fly back to the loft in Dammam!" he says. "These are now prized birds and will be used by the new owner to cross breed and obtain intelligent off-spring."

He believes that a fancier's bank is the breed he owns and his talent is expressed in the method he uses to cross-breed the birds to produce winners. "This involves a lot of tact and judgement and the rest is left to nature's laws," says Fathy.

He cross-bred a Jansen van Loon pigeon with a Mulmen van Loon to produce the pigeon that came fifth at the race. Birds of both these species are speed pigeons that best fly short to medium distances.

"A little sensible planning goes a long way," he says. The breeding advice he gives new fanciers is to determine body balance of the pigeons, the bird's vibration during flight, quality of the feathers and strength of muscle. "For example, a right-tailed pigeon should always be cross-bred with a left-tailed one," says Fathy.

The eyes of the pigeon tell a tale. They reveal the breeding characteristics and cleverness of the bird. If the eye is glassy, the fancier can tell that the bird is not feeling well.

"Sometimes pigeons flown from Dubai land up in far off places like Iran and Oman. Residents there call us by looking up the telephone number on the ring attached to the birds. I ask them to keep it. Who wants a bird that can't find its way home?

"Under normal circumstances and good weather the birds should return home – some may take minutes and others may take days but they should return. However, I make a note and if they take a longer time.

I see to it that I never breed that variety of pigeons again and try a new mix," he says. Fathy promises to help new fanciers find good quality birds at reasonable prices and guide them in exploring the wonders of pigeon racing.