What Are Tumbling Pigeons?

Distinction

• The tumbling pigeon is the name given to a particular type of domestic pigeon. Like most domestic pigeons, tumbling pigeons retain the natural instinctive ability of "homing" but also display a very particular skill that makes the tumbling pigeon unique. Tumbling pigeons, like the name implies, have the ability to tumble in the air. The birds can perform backwards summersaults in mid flight, tumbling backwards through the air at high speeds. It is this ability and this ability alone that differentiates tumbling pigeon from other domestic pigeon breeds.

History

• The tumbling pigeon was first documented as far back as 1600 and was noted by Charles Darwin on several occasions, including in his seminal work "On the Origins of Species." The tumbling pigeon, like all domestic pigeons, descended originally from the rock dove. The birds have been kept and bred for hundreds of years to harbor and enhance their tumbling abilities. Today, there are many different subspecies and variations of the tumbling pigeon, giving the bird a wide range of sizes and colors. All variations are still considered tumbling pigeons as long as they retain their acrobatic abilities.

Roller Pigeon

• The roller pigeon is a particular type of tumbling pigeon that is able to "roll" through the air. While a tumbling pigeon may make one or two rapid backward rolls, the roller pigeon will perform many rolls in quick succession, spinning backwards so fast that they appear to blur as they drop in altitude. The roller pigeon itself has a variation called the parlor roller. The parlor roller is a type of pigeon that has lost the ability to fly, but retains the rolling instinct. These birds will perform rapid backward rolls on the ground, occasionally traveling many feet before stopping.

Reason

• The actual reason for this inherited instinct is unclear. The original instinct to tumble backwards in the air was observed in the wild before the birds were used for subjective breeding. The typical theory among breeders is that the instinct was originally developed as a survival tactic, the bird dodging an air-borne predator, such as a hawk, with a quick evasive maneuver. This theory seems to hold some merit due to the rapid speed the bird performs the roll and the sudden drop in altitude that results.