The Pigeoncote breed highlight

American Domestic Flight

The Domestic Flight Is about the same size as our present-day Racing Homer hen, but is rather shorter and cobby. The beak should be a clear f1esh color, finely molded and thin. The frontal inclines backward in a gentle curve, with the highest point of the forehead being just in front of and above the eye. The eye cere should be as thin as possible, forming a threadlike circle around the eye, and should be pure white. Legs and feet are small, and should be clear of feathers. The legs should be set slightly back of the center of the body.

There are 12 color classes of both plain and cap heads, including blue and silver dun, black and dun, black and dun teager, red and yellow teager, red and yellow, and a variety of other colors and combinations

History

The American Domestic Flight, in name and in fact, is an all American creation. This beautiful pigeon was created well over a hundred years ago in New York State, specifically in Yorkville, and the Brooklyn section of New York City proper. Its inception is traced back to 1880, when a Long Faced Hollander, from Germany, was crossed with the small English Magpie, forming the basic foundation of our pres­ent day American Domestic Flight. Alex Rawson, a prominent breeder in the 50s, has a slightly different twist on the breed's origin, stating they were originally developed in Germany, and called the Hanover.
Whichever is the case, U.S. breeders quickly and drastically morphed these birds into what is without doubt an American creation. Early breeders around the 1900s were thriving all through Long Island and New Jersey, and and soon began breeding these birds to become as a show specimens as well as fliers. As fliers, they were flown competitively in the sport of Triganorio, which originated in Modena, Italy. The birds were flown in flocks over the city where the breeders competed with each other trying to capture each other's birds.

The original breeds used in the development of the American Domestic flight may still exist today, but have taken entirely different courses. The Magpie is often seen at the larger shows, while the Long Faced Hollander and the Hanover appear to have been lost in ob­scurity. The Domestic Flight of the 1930s retains very little of its original appearance, but the changes yet to come were drastic indeed.

Gallery

Standard

A standard was adopted during 1924, which was intended to greatly modify the breed's characteristics. And the standards kept changing. When one standard was achieved another more leading one was adopted, explaining the drastic morphing of the breed's appearance over all these years.