Birmingham Rollers of Austin

With about 10,000 breeders around the world, Birmingham Rollers are a very popular breed of domesticated, performing pigeon. Fanciers are found from as far as the deserts of Kuwait, to the marshy backwoods of Louisiana. From the concrete jungle of the Bronx to the asphalt, palm-lined streets of Los Angeles, roller fanciers number in the thousands in the United States alone. Breeders come in all ages and backgrounds, from the kid breeding out of a makeshift pen in the backyard, to the organized and elaborate setups of today's well known veteran breeders. To this crowd and those like-minded who would like to learn about rollers, Birmingham Rollers of Austin offers articles, pictures, and general information on raising and competing with roller pigeons.

What is a Birmingham Roller Pigeon?

In the words of William H. Pensom, "The Birmingham Roller is noted for its exclusive ability to turn over backwards and rotate with inestimable speed for considerable distances downwards." This 8 ounce feathered friend is genetically programmed to flip backwards, provided adequate training, diet, and exercise. The spinning can appear to be so fast that the bird looks like a ball of feathers falling toward the ground. They recover from the spin and return to their flock, called a “kit” in competition. The pigeon continues to do the same acrobatics with regular frequency, often times and desirable in unison with other birds in the kit. The frequency, depth, style, tightness of roll, and angle are all determined by careful and methodical breeding. The flight time, height of flight, and responsiveness to the trainer's commands are all determined by strict training and diet, along with consistent daily routine.

I started competing and breeding again in 1999. Since then I have developed my own family of birds from a select few breeders. My birds are from several families that are well established in the hobby. I acquired a set of breeders from Byron Gable in 1999. I have also recently introduced a set of breeders from Jerry Higgins. I have tried to develop a family of well balanced kit birds, both in the pen and in the air.

These are some of my awards since starting up again:

• 2004 - Best of Show, Northwest Roller Forum
• 2004 - Best Cock, Old Bird, Northwest Roller Forum
• 2003 - Best Young Hen, Northwest Roller Forum
• 2001 - Seattle Flying Roller Club Perpetual, Most Points
• 2001 - Northwest World Cup Regional 2nd Place

I am a member of the National Birmingham Roller Club and the Texas Performing Roller Club.