West Of England Tumbler Pigeon: Origin, Characteristics

The West of England Tumbler pigeon is a domestic fancy pigeon breed originated from United Kingdom. It was not developed suddenly, rather it was developed over many years of selective breeding. It is a remarkable dual purpose pigeon breed which is good for both flying and exhibition purposes.

This breed along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons, all are descendants from the rock pigeon. It was actually developed in England in Bristol and the surrounding West Country in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Today, most of the West of England Tumbler pigeons are bred in the United States, and are a popular show birds. They are very well-regarded as a reliable breeders, and it is probably the main reason for their growth in popularity with the American fanciers.

Although there are many fanciers in the British Isles who are interested in this flying bird. The breed is well known for their ability to fly very high (almost to the point of disappearing in the sky) in the British Isles. Similar to the modern Birmingham Roller Pigeons, the early West of England Tumbler pigeon could perform well in teams known as ‘kits’.

These birds were flown for up to twelve hours, according to some records from the nineteenth century, and they were trained to go extremely high.

Currently some breeders are working to develop the West of England Tumbler pigeons which don’t go quite as high as the traditional birds, which is sometimes described as going up to become a speck in the sky. Read some more information about the breed below.

Origin And History of West of England Tumbler Pigeon

The West of England Tumbler Pigeon is a breed of domestic pigeon which is well known and popular for its ability to perform aerial acrobatics. These birds are native to the West of England region, particularly the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire.

The origin of the West of England Tumbler Pigeon is somewhat unclear. However, it is believed that the breed was developed during the 18th century. It is thought that breeders in the West of England region selectively bred birds with exceptional tumbling abilities, resulting in the development of this unique breed.

Characteristics

West of England Tumbler pigeon is an average sized breed. It is a very beautiful and colorful bird with a very attractive white or pearl eyes. The birds have muffs on their legs which are also very attractive.

Currently it is mainly bred as a show bird in the United States, with emphasis on the interesting colors, markings and patterns. The breed is actually available in many color varieties.

Average height of the mature West of England Tumbler pigeons is between 20 and 23 cm. And the mature birds on average weight between 255 and 340 grams.

Another most striking characteristics of the West of England Tumbler Pigeon is its tumbling ability. This breed is capable of performing a range of tumbling maneuvers in mid-flight, including backward flips, cartwheels, and somersaults.

Uses

These pigeons are primarily kept as pets, they also have various uses in different fields such as pigeon racing, pest control, feather production, competition etc.

Popularity and Price

The West of England Tumbler is a very popular pigeon breed in many countries around the world. But it’s not possible to tell the exact price of these birds. Exact price of these birds can vary from place to place. Please visit any of your nearest breeder to know more about the current price.

Lifespan

Average lifespan of these birds is about 7-10 years.

Pros and Cons

Like many other pigeon breeds, these pigeons also have some pros and cons. Here we are trying to list the top pros and cons of West of England Tumbler pigeons:

Pros:

• Excellent flyers
• Strong homing instinct
• Intelligence
• Friendly temperament
• Versatility
• Bonding

Cons:

• Time commitment
• Expense
• Health concerns
• Space requirements
• Regulatory issues
• Predators
• Special Notes

Special Notes

The West of England Tumbler pigeon is well known for it’s natural tameness and relatively calm attitude. It is one of the easier fancy pigeons for beginners to raise and bred with success.

The breed can also be good as pets if properly cared, but be aware of the predators. The West of England Tumbler pigeons are excellent flyers, and they turn or tumble occasionally.

Although they are a high flying performing birds, but they may not tumble so persistently as some other breeds. Average lifespan of these birds is about 7-10 years. However, review full breed profile of the West of England Tumbler pigeon in the following chart.

Breed Name	West of England Tumbler
Other Name	None
Breed Purpose	Flying, exhibition
Special Notes	Well known for it’s natural tameness, relatively calm in temperament, easy to care, good choice for beginners, good as pets, excellent flyers, tumble occasionally
Breed Class	Medium to large
Weight	255-340 grams
Climate Tolerance	Native climates
Flying Ability	Excellent
As Pets	Good
Color	Many
Rarity	Common
Country/Place of Origin	United Kingdom