Tunisian Owl Pigeon origin description size ornaments colors comment and pictures gallery

Origin: North Africa, in and around Tunis, in Tunisia. The breed is so ancient that its origin is unknown. It was apparently imported England around 1858, according to Tegetmeier (1868), who treated the African and the Tunisian Owl as identical breeds. There have been African Owls in the United States but the author can recall no Tunisians. In France and Spain it has been otherwise. De Roo in France (1883) described it and Fontaine in France 1922 described it and set out its standard. In Spain it has been interbred with the Figurita but some are still purebred there.

Mathias Holler, of Stuttgart, Germany, traveled North Africa in 1961-64 and brought back the old Tunisian square-headed type. It was exhibited at the Stuttgart, Germany, National in January, 1964, and is pictured herein.

Description: An exhibition breed, though formerly a flying one. It is erect, lively, and tight feathered. Its head is squarish, but not so angular as the Vienna Short Face or the Budapest Tumbler. Its beak is short and stout, but much longer and straighter than that of the African Owl of England, Germany, or the United States. It is said to feed its young well. Foster parents are not necessary as with the African Owl.

Size: Very small, average weight said to be 150 to 180 grams (5i to 61. ounces). Fontaine's 1922 standard requires that its weight should not exceed 170 grams (6 ounces).

Ornaments: It is plain-headed and clean-legged. It has a gullet and a small, neat neck frill.

Colors: Black, blue barred, and white. Other colors are permitted if they conform to the standard. Its eye is orange red; dark in whites. Blues with dark eyes exist. Its eye cere should be small and fine in texture and the same color as the beak.

Comment: Both Holler and Brage are to be thanked for their efforts to restore this fine little breed, and from its pictures and its extremely small size it appears to be a charming one.

Seven steps must follows for Pigeon growing:

The requirements for pigeon breeding are simple, but they must be followed to be successful. There should be no relaxing or neglect at any time, for it is much easier to prevent trouble than to eliminate disease, parasites or vermin once these have occurred.

1. A dry house with the inside protected from rain or snow.
2. Separate houses for mated pairs and odd birds.
3. A flypen, if the breed requires one that dries out easily.
4. A suitable feed ration protected from contamination.
5. A suitable mineral ration protected from contamination.
6. Water suitable for human consumption protected from contamination.
7. Suitable nesting materials.

If any one of the seven is neglected, trouble of some sort will eventually occur.

References: Encyclopedia of Pigeon breeds by Wendell Mitchell Levi, accepted everywhere as Mr. Pigeon

Tunisian Owl Pigeon Pictures Gallery