Determination of morphological characteristics of tumbler pigeons in province of Ankara (Columba livia domestica)

The aim of this study was to determine morphological characteristics of tumbler pigeons in province of Ankara. The study was conducted with 199 pigeons (including 108 males and 91 female) reared in five different enterprises in 2011. Pigeons were examined in some morphological parameters (coat color, marking, head type, eye color, rough footed, the number of wing and tail flight feathers, typical feathering form on the head) and morphometric measurements (body weight and length, trunk length, wing span and length, tail length, thoracic perimeter, chest width and depth, head length and width, bill length and depth, tarsus diameter). The average body weights for male and female pigeons were found to be 328.49 and 314.75 g respectively. The effect of the age on the body length, wing span and length, tail length, beak depth and the effect of the gender on the body weight, body length, wing span and length, thoracic perimeter, chest width, head length and width, bill depth were found to be significant. In conclusion, the growth of the pigeon was completed until the end of the first year of the age while the feathers were continued to develop with grown old. The average of body weight and body morphometric characteristics in male groups was found to be higher than the females. In general body weight and body morphometric characteristics of Ankara Tumbler pigeons were found to be similar or slightly higher values than the other pigeon genotypes.