SCORES & OUTDOORS: Well-dressed pigeons

Fancy feather-footed pigeon

by Roland D. Hallee

One night last week, my wife showed a photo to me she received from a friend, showing a pigeon-like bird with fuzzy feathers on its feet. I wasn’t quite sure what it was, but it did look like a pigeon.

Research led me to identify it as a fancy feather-footed pigeon. So, more digging was done, and this is what I found. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much about them online.

A fancy feather-footed pigeon, such as the English Trumpeter or Bokhara Trumpeter, is a domesticated pigeon bred for ornamental beauty, distinguished by “muffs” of feathers on its feet, which are a form of genetic variation from its rock pigeon ancestors. This distinctive feature, which gives the appearance of “feather pants,” is caused by genetic mutations that reprogram the leg to develop feathers instead of scales, and can vary in length from a few stray feathers to large, fluffy plumes.

Foot feathering is an uncommon trait among bird species, as most birds have scaly feet. Some raptors and boreal birds have feathered feet, and among chickens and pigeons, birds can have feathery or scaly feet, depending on their breeds.

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.

OK, with all that beauty, are there any brains?

Rock Dove

Pigeons are considered to be quite intelligent birds. They can recognize themselves in mirrors, learn complex tasks, and remember long-range routes. How smart are pigeons? Pigeons can learn and remember tasks, solve problems, and recognize individual people and places.

Fancy pigeons with feathered feet are a sight that you can find often at bird shows and displays. But why do some pigeons have feathered feet while others don’t? What evolutionary processes lead to feathers on some pigeons’ feet?

Pigeons with this characteristic have become the subject of much discussion. You can see some of these birds in bird shows and exhibits.

Pigeons get feathery feet because of one or more genetic variations. Though you might think this is just some sort of overgrowth of feathers like humans that have hair in the wrong places, foot feathers are actually not the skin growing extra feathers.

Other bird species with feathers on their feet include Snowy owls, golden eagles, certain bantam breeds, and ptarmigans.

Aside from them, certain chickens and domestic pigeons have been bred with and without feathers in the same species. The evolution of feathered feet throws new light on how evolutionary processes work.

So, where did this particular fancy feather-foot pigeon come from? Well, although they are common among breeders for show purposes, this kind of genetic mutation does not occur in the wild. So this bird is probably one that has escaped from a breeder or an owner. It’s likely to have a home somewhere nearby.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Name the famous football player who is the brother-in-law of former Boston Red Sox star Kevin Youkilis?