Dogs aren’t the only animals that vie for best in show. Hundreds of breeds of pigeons compete in their own version of the Westminster show, strutting on long, thick legs or fluttering curly, lacy feathers in their bid to be best bird.
These pigeons aren’t the nuisance flocks that swarm food scraps at outdoor restaurants. They are genetically rich birds, including variations bred to look like turkeys or sound like trumpets, that drew thousands of enthusiasts — including ex-boxer and pigeon lover Mike Tyson — to the National Pigeon Association’s 93rd annual Grand National Pigeon Show.
In this Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015 photo, former boxing champion Mike Tyson holds a white homing pigeon at the National Pigeon Associationâs 93rd annual Grand National Pigeon Show in Ontario, Calif., Monday, Feb. 2, 2015. Tyson, who had pigeons as a youngster, has 1,800 now in Nevada, New Jersey and New York. He said he was 10 when he won his first fight because a neighborhood bully took one of his birds and broke its neck in front of him. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
In this Thursday, Jan. 29,2015 photo, a frill back pigeon is on display at the National Pigeon Associationâs 93rd annual Grand National Pigeon Show in Ontario, Calif. Showing pigeons is one of the oldest and largest hobbies in the world. It thrives at a time when pets are becoming a more important part of peopleâs lives and animals kept as companions range from the traditional to the unique, such as rats and tarantulas. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
In this Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015 photo, Richard Brooks, 94, holds a pigeon at the National Pigeon Associationâs 93rd annual Grand National Pigeon Show in Ontario, Calif. Showing pigeons is one of the oldest and largest hobbies in the world. It thrives at a time when pets are becoming a more important part of peopleâs lives and animals kept as companions range from the traditional to the unique, such as rats and tarantulas.(AP Photo/Nick Ut)
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Tyson says he will watch his birds for hours. The fighter who bit off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear explained his softer, pigeon-loving side by saying: “What I am just wasn’t what I did for a living.”
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Online:
— www.npausa.com
