Gary Parsons from Sarnia, Ont. is bringing his champion helmet pigeon, which won Grand Champion Pigeon at the Canadian Pigeon Fancier's National Show in January, to compete again next month at the national championships in Winnipeg.
When you think of pigeons, you might conjure up images of grey speckled birds pecking bits of food off city streets. But there's a lot more to the feathered flock. In fact, some pigeons are quite fancy, according to Gary Parsons of Sarnia, Ont. — and he would know.Gary and Georgette Parsons's champion helmet pigeon took home the title of grand champion pigeon at the national championships in Portage la Prairie, Man., in January 2024, and will compete again next month.
"That would be outstanding," said Parsons, who's been pigeon keeping and breeding for five decades. His champion pigeon, which technically belongs to his wife, doesn't have a name but goes by 567, the number it's tagged with.While you can't cuddle with a pigeon like cats and dogs, they certainly have personality, Parsons said.
"Most people just think of the pigeons that they see flying downtown or under the overpasses of the highways," Parsons said. "These show pigeons look totally different. Most people don't recognize them as being pigeons."Hundreds of pigeons were on display in Sarnia to be judged, similarly to a dog show. Host Matt Allen hears more from Gary Parsons of the Sarnia Poultry, Pigeon and Pet Stock Association.
And while breeding and raising pigeons has been around for centuries, and was even a fixation for Charles Darwin as he worked to understand genetics, the hobby is in a slump here at home, experts say. Gary Parsons' champion jacobin pigeon, a breed which has feathers growing all around its head so you can only see its face from a certain angle, he says. "The pigeon hobby is said to be the second most popular hobby in the world after stamp collecting," Heck said. "People are drawn to the pigeon for their beauty, their strong flying abilities and their usefulness."
PIGEONS BREEDING CHAMPION COMPETITION ANIMALS
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