There are many different types of pigeons. King pigeons are generally larger than most, homing pigeons are bred and taught to send messages, racing pigeons race against each other, feral pigeons are your normal everyday pigeons, fancy pigeons are bred to compete in pigeon pageants and competitions like dogs do in dog shows, and roller pigeons which roll, but why do these pigeons roll? This article looks into it 

Roller pigeons were bred to roll, these pigeons have been bred for a genetic deficit that causes them to roll mid-air. These seizures make them look like they are performing backward somersaults while flying. The reason these pigeons were bred to roll was to act as a form of entertainment for humans.

Why do roller pigeons roll?

Our fascination with selectively breeding animals has extended to pigeons. Today there are a variety of pigeons that have been bred to perform certain tasks, roller pigeons are one of them 

Birmingham rollers, also known as roller pigeons, are birds that are bred for a genetic deficit that causes them to seize in mid-air.

As they seize they roll back and it looks like they are performing backward somersaults while flying. The birds do not become injured as they recover before they hit the ground.

Breeders of these birds take advantage of this trait and train the birds to have seizures in synchronization for shows and events.

Roller pigeons were once a flying bird but now they are bred selectively for show and entertainment.

Do other pigeons roll like roller pigeons?

Yes, other pigeons roll, some pigeons roll like roller pigeons and others roll similarly to roller pigeons. Among them are the oriental rollers, the Galatz rollers and the parlor rollers.

Oriental rollers: These are the oldest performing pigeons alive. They perform a number of somersaults in the air which include single somersaults, double somersaults and rolling.

The Galatz rollers: These are originally from Galati county in Romania. They are very popular among fanciers because of their aerobatics which include; backward somersaults, pirouettes and screws.

Parlor rollers: These are very similar to roller pigeons, the only difference between the two is that these can not fly. The parlor rollers are bred exclusively for shows, thus, instead of rolling mid-flight, as other roller pigeons do, they roll and tumble on the ground.

Why do some pigeons tumble?

Tumbling is a genetic trait passed down from the earliest tumbler pigeons. It is a means of evading aerial attacks from birds of prey.

This trait has been highly amplified in tumbler pigeons to the point of abnormality by selective breeding.

What is the difference between roller pigeons and tumbler pigeons?

The major difference between a tumbler pigeon and a roller pigeon is the number of backward somersaults they perform in a series.

Tumbler pigeons perform backward somersaults once or twice in a series while roller pigeons can perform backward somersaults many times consecutively in a single series.

Scientifically, it has been proven that rolling and tumbling in flight or on the ground is the same genetically, the only difference is the duration of the act.

Hence, the length of the tumble or roll can be used to differentiate between the two pigeons. A roller can drop up to 100 feet when somersaulting while a tumbler will not perform more than a few (2-4) somersaults.

What do pigeons do for fun?

Pigeons are generally very calm creatures.

They don’t do much in terms of fun but you can get your pigeon pet some toys to play with while you are busy. These toys include; pigeon bells, hanging ladders, swinging and hanging toys. They also like to play with paper plates and popsicle sticks.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, roller pigeons roll because humans have bred them for a genetic deficit that causes them to roll mid-air. Roller pigeons roll and create somersaults in the air. They were bred to do this as a form of entertainment.

Other pigeon breeds that roll, in one way or another, include the Galatz rollers, Oriental rollers and the Parlor rollers.

Pigeons roll not as a way to have fun but because of the genetic deficit, a pigeon will have fun if it gets to play with pigeon toys such as pigeon bells, hanging ladders, swinging and hanging toys

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