S.A. Fancy Pigeon Association

(Page 1)

Blowers or Pouters, as this section of fancy pigeons is called, are very tame birds and can give the pigeon enthusiast many hours of pleasure.

These pigeons are well known for their ability to blow their crops like balloons, some of them, like the Norwich Cropper very large, and others, like the Brunner, not so large.

In South Africa pigeon lovers keep mainly 7 different breeds of blowers, although more types of blowers were lately imported from England. More than 30 breeds of blowers are listed in the American Pigeon Standards

Because of the antiquity of the blowers, or pouters, the origin is uncertain. It is generally believed that the Old Dutch Cropper is the progenitor of many continental Pouters and of the English Pouter. Pouter or blowers are thought to have been brought to Holland from India by Dutch traders centuries ago.

In 1603 the pouter pigeon was first mentioned by Alldrovandi. In 1676 Willughby describes the pouter and mentioned that these birds are called "Croppers" because they can blow up there crops to such a strange size. In 1735 four varieties were described by Moore, namely the Dutch Croppers, the English Powter, the Parisian Powter and the Uploper.

Today these pigeons are pure bred and it is easy to distinguish between the different types of blowers.

The first blower we want to discuss is the Norwich Cropper.

Origin: England, in Norwich in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. It appears to be a derivative of the Powting Horseman and/or the Dutch Uploper as described by Moore in 1735. Both these breeds are now extinct

The Norwich Cropper is the most known blower in South Africa. This King of the blowers are kept in large numbers by many fanciers.

Norwich Croppers are found in a large variety of colours. Colours like black, dun and blue are of the best quality and is therefore the most popular amongst breeders.

These birds are very tame and companionable. The more attention they get from the keeper, the more likeable, friskey and enthusiastic they will be. They will fly from and across, clap their wings, show off and blow their globes, all to get the necessary attention.

The globe must be as large as possible but must be consistent with the size of the bird and the bird must have the ability to control the globe gracefully: spherical from all views; driven well forward from the waist and shoulders; rising at the back from a point well down between the shoulders upward in a full, smooth outward curve to merge imperceptibly into the curve of the back skull. The globe should be well under control at all times and carried comfortably when in full show.

The Globe (25), legs (18) and station (25) make up 68 points on a scale of 100.

Origin: Holland. Related to the Pomeranian and Ghent Cropper, first bred in the 15th century. It is believed to be the oldest variety of the Pouter or Cropper family.

The Dutch Cropper is bred in a variety of colours like all the self colours (red, yellow, white and black) and mottles, checkers and isabels but without the rose or pied spots on the wing or crop as in Norwich Croppers.

The Dutch Cropper is one of the largest croppers with heavy muffs, well developed hock feathers; medium height, almost horizontal station of body and with a well developed globe that melts gracefully into the breast and body.

Globe, station, muffs and hocks represent more that 50 points on a scale of 100.