page_title: Fancy pigeon
section_title: Pouters and Croppers
hierarchical_section_title: Fancy pigeon / Major breed families / Pouters and Croppers
caption_attribution_description: A blue bar Pigmy Pouter pigeon
context_page_description: Fancy pigeon refers to any breed of domestic pigeon, which is a domesticated form of the wild rock dove. They are bred by pigeon fanciers for various traits relating to size, shape, color, and behavior, and often exhibited at pigeon shows, fairs and other livestock exhibits.
  There are about 800 pigeon breeds; considering all regional varieties all over the world there may be 1100 breeds. The European list of fancy pigeons alone names about 500 breeds. No other domestic animal has branched out into such a variety of forms and colours.
  Charles Darwin is known to have crossbred fancy pigeons, particularly the Ice Pigeon, to study variation within species, this work coming three years before his groundbreaking publication, On the Origin of Species.
context_section_description: This group includes breeds developed for the ability to inflate their crops.
  English Pouter
  Brunner Pouter
  Gaditano Pouter
  Holle Cropper
  Horseman Pouter
  Norwich Cropper
  Pigmy Pouter
  Pouter
  Voorburg shield cropper
  Old German Croppers
caption: A Pigmy Pouter
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