Old Fashioned Oriental Frill

The Classic Oriental Frill is an exhibition breed of pigeon from the Owl family. It is a Turkish breed specially bred for the Ottoman Sultans. In its homeland it is known as Hünkari: the bird of the Sultans.

It is known that upon the sultans' request a special breed of pigeon was bred in the Manisa Palace. (Manisa is an old Ottoman city in western Turkey). The pigeon breeders of the sultan developed this unique breed of pigeon. For centuries the breed was kept away from the common people. This is one of the reasons why Hünkari is still known as the bird of the sultans in its homeland. The white spots on the tail is called "the seal of the Sultan". That's why it is an important feature in the standard of the Sattinettes.

The "Hünkari", or as it's known today outside Turkey, "the Oriental Frill" was first imported to England by H.P.Caridia in 1864 from Izmir. It was first exhibited in National Columbarian Society in 1879 in America.

It is the precursor breed from which the modern Oriental Frill was created via selective breeding methods. The Old Fashioned or Original Hünkari (Oriental Frill) possess less exaggerated features unlike the Oriental Frill of today. They can feed their own fledgling because their beaks have not been bred in extreme small sizes for shows. The Old style Hünkari (Oriental Frill) is still a good flyer as it is not bred in larger sizes.

Today the breed has strong followers at home and abroad.

Characteristics

A small to medium sized (average weight 11-12 oz) cobby pigeon, with a jaunty disposition. Stations at near to a 45-degree angle with the tip of the tail just clearing the floor. Typical characteristics include a breast frill, peak crest, grouse muffs, and a medium-short thick beak. Satinettes are shield marked / tail marked birds with white bars or laces on their shield and Moon Spots or laces on their tail. Blondinettes are whole colored birds which also possess white bars or lacing on the shields and Moon Spots or lacing on the tail...Some varieties have the lacing extending over most of the body.

See also

References