Head: 10% oval and medium size. Smaller in Banafsigy followed by the Sakarota and the Walnut.

Beak and beak settings: 20%. The beak should be inclined downward in the Walnut, Black, Faru, Zahr and Istan-bully. A heavy cushion of feathers at the beak-frontal junction is responsible for a bulging in that area.

Banafsigy's beak is delicate and resembles a grain of wheat. The Sakarota is conical and fine in structure. Achdar (blue) has the largest head among this family.

Cheeks: 10% they appear of darker color than the shields because of the feather density in this area. They should be long, wide, round and a mirror image and far from each other. The cheeks extend themselves upward from each side covering ¾ of the eye as they reach the frontal. There should be a dividing white line (Messala) crossing the frontal separating the dark feathers of the cheeks.

Wattle: 5% should be small, smooth, white and free from any coarsens.

Eye and Eye cere: 10% Exceptionally wide, occupying more than half of the head. While located in the middle of the skull, its periphery stretches upward towards the top of the skull giving it a characteristic look.

The eye cere is fine and neat in texture. The eye color is hazel with different shades reflecting the shield colors.

Neck: 5%. The back of the neck is thick because of a heavy amount of fluffed feathers in that area. The neck is short and wide as viewed side ways.

Flights and tail: 5% Wing tips must be shorter than the tail and close to each other. Flights in many of these birds display themselves just below the tail but not dragging on the floor. The flights or the first 10 primary feathers are white. Bolks express a minimum of 12 tail feathers and notable thick tail coverts.

Legs and feet: 5% Legs strong and short, free from feathers below the hock. Toes are large and well spread apart with bright red colors.

Appearance: 5% tight long sloped body. The back is broad and steep (concave), showing no humps. Their average length is about 12 inches (30 cm) from front of breast to tip of tail. The skeletal structure (frame) is of medium size and small in the Banafsigy, which has the most fragile bone structure among all Bolks with an average of 10 ounces (0.6 pound) for a bird.

Stance: 5% all birds should be alert with upright position but very low station because of their short legs. The birds tend to set on their hinds (squat) as they become approached in their cage.

Color: 10% the color of the shields should be well defined and masking the entire shoulder. The rump or the upper tail coverts should be clearly white without growth of any black feathers.

Undesirable traits:

Loose feathers, which might be evidenced by fluffed feathers or wings dragging permanently on the floor.

Note: if tail or primaries are occasionally interrupted with darker feathers, it should be dealt with a minimum distraction on the overall evaluation of the bird.

Disqualification: any obvious cross breeding as indicated by unusual head shape and beak setting or eye color.

References:
Translated from the book of standards 1996. ISBN 977-19-0924. Prepared for publication by Mohamed Gab Allah
Drawing by DR Mohamed Khater
Other books used; the pigeon, by Levi
The international pigeon standards. 15th edition

E-mail | FAQ| Home| Links | News Letter | Sale | Standards | Swift Video