What to Look For in a Sprint Racing Pigeon

Physical Features

• A fancier sometimes gauges a pigeon's racing potential by holding the pigeon in his hand. When you hold a pigeon, assess the physical qualities to determine aerodynamic efficiency and flight promise. Look for a balanced body, a good wing, good bone structure and a bird that is naturally buoyant.

  A sprint racing pigeon's most important physical characteristic is good feathering, which indicates strong breeding and health. Make sure the pigeon has waterproof feathering, with excellent flexibility, silkiness (which it gets from its high oil content), strength and tightness. Silkiness allows for a bigger lift, thanks to tight feathering that allows the moving air to flow smoothly and quickly over the pigeon's body and wing surfaces in "streamlines."

  If you select a racing pigeon with silky, tight feathering, it should exhibit the ability to fly long periods of time without slowing down and tiring. You do not want your pigeon to have dry, poor feathering, as that means brittleness, less flexibility, stamina and strength, and a non-waterproof means of flight.

Physiological Features

• While some of the greatest racing pigeons share physical commonalities, and those aerodynamic features play a vital role in a pigeon's ability to win a race, other factors come into play at race time. Offspring inherit hereditary traits such as physical and physiological qualities, but you cannot take for granted that a pigeon will soar to championship levels just because of a champion parent.

  Only when you race a pigeon will you effectively tap into its physiological qualities. When racing a pigeon, look at fitness metabolism and homing ability. If your pigeon exhibits impressive stamina, speed and finds its way from lengthy distances with relative ease, you may have a potential champion on your hands.

Psychological Features

• When you test a pigeon's racing skills, you also get a sense of the kind of psychology that goes along with its athleticism. You may see a pigeon exhibit a strong drive and eagerness to win a race. If the pigeon is well-groomed and trained for racing, it will need little coaxing upon race time and will gladly show what it can do.

  Another psychological factor to look for is a pigeon's ability to act independently. Birds tend to flock together, but a racing pigeon will only reach championship status if it negotiates the race on its own. In a sense, the pigeon is a rebel, as the activity and behavior of surrounding birds has no impact on its actions, and it functions as an individual and leader, rather than a follower.