Survival of the fittest - Season #3 - Falcon VS Pigeons

Mix of falcon attacks - Season #3 - Winter 2019. Presenting the finalist pigeons. Pick your favourite!
These are racing pigeons that I don't race. Yeah, sounds awkward. They descend from my racing team but I don't select by homing instinct here. It's a side project to watch natural selection and what would happen in a few years. This started from my need or better said addiction to see flying pigeons... I can't keep them locked almost 6 months because of the worse predation in autumn and winter.
These pigeons never got medication in their life and they fly out in winter (which was almost unheard of, by the mountains where I live). I do select a bit by phenotype because in this project I can afford it and I want to enjoy beautiful pigeons (while in the racing team we have to select by racing results and not by the looks). Favourite phenotypes: 639-16-F and 727-17-F. The rest of the selection is done by the falcons/hawks and health.
I don't force the pigeons to fly. I selected pigeons that love to fly, I just set them free. As the generations go by, they seem to get better at fooling the falcons. In Season #3, 49 pigeons started and 39 finished. I removed a few that were too lazy or ugly (by placing them in the racing team) and the rest enjoy a relaxing summer at home in the open stock loft.
I hope to be able to continue the project although sometimes it feels like the birds of prey numbers are out of control.
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"Natural selection causes populations to become adapted, or increasingly well-suited, to their environments over time. In a population, some individuals will have inherited traits that help them survive and reproduce (given the conditions of the environment, such as the predators and food sources present). The individuals with the helpful traits will leave more offspring in the next generation than their peers, since the traits make them more effective at surviving and reproducing.
Because the helpful traits are heritable, and because organisms with these traits leave more offspring, the traits will tend to become more common (present in a larger fraction of the population) in the next generation." (Khan Academy)

[@timothyhume3741]

I have always flown my birds to the Falcon the same way you do. I have found though that intelligence is as important as fitness. Cheers and blessings.

[@pouterfly]

Excellent video and comments. I support natural selection and fly my birds similar to you. I often read the point about birds of prey numbers are "out of control" however there's a couple points that deserve to be kept in mind. Since the ban of DDT and other super toxic chemicals, populations of affected species have simply returned to normal levels that existed prior to the very widespread use of these now banned chemicals. As well, once these predators have found a flock of pigeons they know they can hunt regularly, they will return repeatedly hoping for a meal, which gives the impression the population is out of control, which of course is not the case. Population of these predators fluctuates according to prey availability.

[@Pigeonmaniacom]

With the development of more and more "one loft races" which fly thousands of young birds each, and with fanciers breeding more youngsters to compensate for the losses, during the summer they have tons of easy prey. Then suddenly in late autumn comes the shutdown, lofts are closed and the hawks are crazy hungry. I say the hawks - because falcons are territorial for real (I never saw more than a pair attacking at once). 2 years ago I even had 5 hawks attacking in the same time which is crazy and almost impossible for the best of the best pigeons.

[@pouterfly]

In autumn all those young accipiters are faced with drastically reduced prey base due to normal bird migration. Of course they're desperate for food, and a non-migrating pigeon flock has good potential for their success. When we place our loft next to trees and/or buildings rather than out in the middle of an open field the odds are now in the hawk's favor in that they can sit not noticed close by the make a sudden high speed attack which has a high chance of success. Young and not very experienced accipiters tend to remain together for quite some time after fledging, often they move and hunt in association with one another. Accipiter control around the loft is based on management of the flock - either in the loft or else in the sky, nothing in between. Pigeons sitting on the roof is the root of the conflict because it attracts these hawks.

[@dantirk1819]

Next time I should watch the video before making stupid comments. Those are gorgeous birds you have there. My apologies and greetings from Atlanta GA. God bless you and your birds

[@amandeepxyz3316]

Well done sir 👍👍👍👍✅👍👍✅ clean pigeon

[@SajidAli-sx9vl]

Such a beautiful birds ... Plz zoom when hawk/falcon are attack .. Can you made a video about your breeds ...

[@codrinptpt]

That red/brown male is stunning 🥰

[@thunderloft9941]

Outstanding as usual

[@codrinptpt]

Flying in a flock usually helps (in a hawk attack) but the falcon is too fast. The pigeons are faster flying on their own. Talking about fast .. these pigeons are insanely fast. They leave the peregrine behind a few times. Too bad about the one that got caught. The flock didn’t help much .. it just slowed him down. If it was on its own it wouldnt get caught.

[@jasondesena8086]

Codrin PT I absolutely agree!

[@OuseynouDia-zp9ih]

Merci ❤

[@jemuelmanila6797]

Those pegions fast ASF men

[@alinatasiei4579]

Dacă nu ai cei mai tari porumbei sa nebunesc fa mai multe clipuri de genul acesta

[@JASPREETSINGH-ms5hp]

Breath taking.... 💪👌

[@unisarkhalil.kpk.8690]

Your piegone Great speet vary good job 👏 from Pakistan 🇵🇰

[@qaiserahmad4195]

Well done prepared

[@Agricultura.2]

Asta este cea mai frumoasa pasiune 😍

[@someone9762]

That’s a grate way to exersise them

[@pigeonsman3640]

Ce pot să zic, wow...respect Andrei Dejan🏆

[@garymora2604]

Beautiful pigeons and breathtaking place! I really wish to live in such amazing place. Where is it?

[@eekkadet303]

Romania🇷🇴🇷🇴

[@Pigeonmaniacom]

Romania, by the Carpathian mountains. Thanks.

[@mamunrocks3950]

Wow.. Great place

[@baderbidro5668]

الله يبرك مشاء الله داكشي جميل انت بطل🕊👈👍بطل بطل ديم بطل👈👍

[@DiegoOliveira-xs5dy]

Fantástico esses pombos parabéns ....sauve Brasil....🇧🇷

[@358alejo]

where are you from? the place is amazing for flying pigeons...I am from Spain

[@luckan7253]

Piękne gołębie, piękne oko, pozdrawiam z Polski.

[@luckan7253]

Wasze gołębie latają też nad nami, 30 maja przenocował u mnie gołąbek z Rumunii. Pozdrawiam.

[@احمداحمداحمد-ع1س]

Amazing birds 👍

[@israilisrailkhan7237]

Very very nice and lovely video

[@toabhijeetsingh]

the landing at 2:33 was freakish

[@involver4499]

pfff ferrari and identika were such beautiful birds! both gone :(

[@Pigeonmaniacom]

Lady B. too :(. 2020 was a crap year in all aspects.

[@mikisi9694]

You can protect your pigeons by befriending the crows ravens or jays. These birds will warn your birds of predators and will also chase and drive birds of prey away. Birds of prey are afraid of crows and ravens if you can buy a crow call like hunters use you can make the sound to scare them away

[@Jcrdhn]

Goshawks eat Corvids, as do Sparrow Hawks. What you talking about?

[@sohilmalik4569]

Love your pigeons will you sell 2 pairs of theme

[@greatgatsby2671]

2:30 this was the Red pigeon Ferrari?

[@kimdra9321]

WoooooW very nice amigo

[@tonysprimitiveanimals8445]

Nice racers. 👍👍👍 awesome video

[@suhailahmed4369]

Reaser of reader wow super

[@BROD681Homers]

That's Awesome!!!!!👍👍👍👍👍

[@robintheunissen1053]

Dam I love your pigeons

[@claudiu1326]

De nota zece bravo

[@adamadam-ew1pu]

Best Dove

[@lajukboys1701]

great videos

[@jasondesena8086]

I love your videos! The music is perfect for this video. It's amazing to see pigeons out maneuver a falcon or hawk. I love when my own pigeons do the same but, I'm usually too anxious watching what's happening to take a video.

[@putilinyura]

Cool video ...

[@adnanplay8491]

that a super male ferrari

[@ابنالهاشميه]

استمر يحمبي

[@jaimezapata1710]

Si les llega😀👍

[@rodneycarnley2084]

If they want to protect the hawks keep them out of my air space

[@baderbidro5668]

👍👍👍👍👍مشاء الله بطل العالمي ديم بطل 👍👍👍👍👍👈💪👍

[@cristidinu9752]

Bun! Frumos!💖

[@trabzontonyafinosukobi3903]

Woooww😯😯 crazyy 😱😱

[@kamallabrax8710]

amazing !!!

[@PinheiroBullKennel]

Pombada linda

[@oussama3bouhiri366]

Just .... woow

[@mariand1632]

Tu ești din Câmpulung Moldovenesc?

[@thunderloft9941]

U keep both males and female flyers together?

[@Pigeonmaniacom]

Yes, most of the time. I just separate the stock and racing teams 1-2 months in winter.

[@hodowcagoebipocztowych8417]

Gołębie pocztowe to som faine

[@Prince-nt4dc]

can i buy young pigeons from you

[@rodneycarnley2084]

I really don't understand why yall set there and watch that I personally would have killed that hawk as soon as he attacked my bird

[@1generation153]

Why you would do that? I think better use ur ugly body and move ya ass. Do something good for falcons.

[@owenwaith3460]

i think the hawk give the birds more speed in developing their flying skills just my opinion i think it gives the pigeons that extra push to go faster i know its dangerous but i think they get better over time its like a push to the limit workout

[@حمامالازركالعراقي]

احلا زواجل في اليوتوب

[@oussama3bouhiri366]

Name of music

[@jekylfrancesuperable41]

Can i have one of your pigeons wow

[@eijhienelmacapagal4291]

wow. .

[@2suss412]

He always grabs my best ones I hate him

[@CaliforniaSpinners]

I lose 60-80 birds to the hawk a year. Check me out training for World Cup Of Pigeons. #OhYouGoLearnSomethingToday

[@piyushchoughule]

I want ur pigeons u sale ur racing birds

[@Su-yq1mo]

なるほど‥‥

[@HobbiYuo]

5++++++++

[@manucaluti3220]

porumbei tai toti au aceas culoare la ochi ?????

[@Flavius999]

La asta ma uitam si eu :))))),cred ca vrea sa isi pastreze linia lui.

[@haroonhidayat]

So u lost 1 today 😢😭

[@Pigeonmaniacom]

Nope. Haven't seen attacks since early March.

[@haroonhidayat]

@@Pigeonmaniacom wao thats a great news usually these are breeding season so birds of prey are seen more... Btw what is your name?

[@codrinptpt]

Minute 2.27 that singled out pigeon dives with INCREDIBLE SPEED. It looks faster than anything I’ve ever seen including peregrine falcons 💪🏻

[@codrinptpt]

Minute 1.54 it’s insane how the falcon hits straight into the flock 💨💨💨💨💨💨

[@haroonhidayat]

@@codrinptpt yeah that was a godly dive tbh

[@PrestigeLoft]

I should release a pack of lions in your house and see who is the fittest.

[@Pigeonmaniacom]

And your point is...? Keep them in a cage. No, thanks.

[@PrestigeLoft]

@@Pigeonmaniacom no, my point is i was joking just for fun, in the animal kingdom reselection is good

[@PrestigeLoft]

@@Pigeonmaniacom but in all seriousness we need the predator population diminished

[@abelstefureac2114]

De vânzare ai??