Dragoon Pigeon: History And Breed Guide

Winning a pigeon exhibition is a dream for many, and many have fulfilled this dream through the Dragoon pigeon. A popular choice to display in exhibitions, Dragoons have a rich history and deserve to be discussed in detail.

From being a part of Darwin’s crossbreeding experiment to now being a valuable fancy pigeon, the dragoons have come a long way.

There are a lot of interesting things to talk about them, like their characteristics, diet, breeding, and history.

If this sort of thing interests you, don’t miss out on reading the entire article dedicated to this breed.

Dragoon Pigeons Profile

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Interested in similar topics on pigeon breed:

• African Owl Pigeon
• Chinese Owl Pigeon

History and Origins of Dragoon Pigeons

The breed originated in the United Kingdom after multiple selective breedings. We got the first description of Dragoon in the ‘Columbarium’ of John Moore, which he wrote in 1735.

He described the dragoon pigeons as birds with long, thin necks and pointed beaks. Due to the efforts of thousands of breeders since then, there have been considerable changes in the appearance of the pigeons.

Initially, Dragoons were divided into two types: the London type and the Birmingham type. As the London type was preferred more for exhibitions, they soon outnumbered the Birmingham type by a huge margin.

Though its origin is traced back to the UK, experts believe its ancestors are the Turkish pigeons as they share a lot of similarities with them.

Appearance of Dragoon Pigeon

It’s a medium-sized but strong pigeon that stands upright all the time. The legs are short and it has a broad chest. Unlike the 1800s version, it features a thick and short neck, which I often call a ‘bull neck.’

They have a blunt but powerful beak. The most striking feature is their ruby-colored red eyes that instantly capture your attention.

There’s a wide range of colors for their plumage, but the most common ones are white, blue bar, and yellow. You can also find them in a bit rare colors like Indigo, and black, and silver checks.

Breeding and Maintenance

Most of the breeders of dragoon pigeons are from the UK. I talked to a few of them about the breeding process. They told me that it’s easy, but it should be done in a meticulous manner.

After talking to several pigeon fanciers, I came up with a simple and effective method for you. Here’s what you have to do –

Put the pigeon’s pair in a breeding box on paper. Normally, they will be locked in the breeding box, but you can let them out for a short while. But don’t let them out together, do it one by one.

In this way, they usually mate within a couple of weeks. The offspring need about 10 days of delicate care after birth. After that you can be a bit relaxed but they will still need care as they will be naked and may catch cold.

Giving them the right temperature is your job so that they don’t get cold. You can install heaters or also keep them in close proximity with the parents.

Some offspring may still die, but usually, most of them will survive the first phase of their life.

Are Dragoon Pigeons Homers?

Though they have a good flying ability, they’re not homers. So, you should not send them out with homers.

However, you can let them explore outside on their own as their flying ability is good enough to evade the predators.

What Are Dragoons Used for?

Exhibition. Throughout the centuries, they have been turned into an excellent show breed. The kind we see now, are the London types which were deemed most suited for exhibitions.

The last 2 exhibitions I went to in the Netherlands, both were won by the Dragoons. So, if you’re a fancier and want to win exhibitions, you may want to buy a few pairs of this breed.

We have covered an in-depth article on “Homer and Hen Pigeons“; if interested, you can read our article!

Can I Buy Dragoon Pigeons?

Yes, Dragoons are fairly easy to buy especially, if you live in London. There are many websites like MartinLofts that sell Dragoons for a good price.

Do Dragoons Have Health Issues?

A common problem for this breed is lice. Getting rid of them is quite easy, fortunately.

You can treat them with anti-parasite from Beaphar and the lice will go away soon. Apart from this, they don’t suffer from any major common health problems.

Diet of Dragoon Pigeon

You can feed them pigeon mix from your preferred brand. The mix can be with corn and without corn, which then can be supplemented with Enzymic mixes.

That’s really helpful for the pigeon to digest food. During the breeding season, they will need a bigger diet. You can give them a starter.

Many people give them Usnea barbata which helps them to prevent trichomoniasis and cocci.

Extra minerals must be added to the diet as well. You can feed brewer’s yeast with garlic oil, which is highly beneficial for their health.

Behavior and Traits of Dragoons

They have a mild nature and are not prone to attack other pigeons. Exploring is one of their favorite acts, and that’s why should let them out every day for a while.

Adaptability to different weather makes them very appealing to the breeders as they can adapt to any climate. So, you don’t have to go out of your way to make their life comfortable.

Was Dragoon One of Darwin’s Pigeons?

Yes, Dragoons were among the pigeons of Charles Darwin. He used them for crossbreeding experiments as they were cheaper than the carriers. Plus, it’s known that Darwin used Dragoon pigeons for anatomical measurements.

At that time, Dragoons were hard to distinguish from low-quality carriers. But over the years, they have improved hugely in appearance and are very different from their predecessors.

Final Thoughts

Dragoons are a problem-free breed and are fairly easy to care for. The fact that they can basically adapt to any climate makes them an amazing option for breeding for exhibition.

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References:

• http://aviculture-europe.nl/nummers/18E02A02.pdf
• https://www.darwinspigeons.com/dragoon/4533144191
• https://www.pigeons.biz/threads/is-the-dragoon-a-homer.47062/