"The most important thing no one should forget is that this is a hobby and a hobby should be for fun!
The pleasure in the hobby and the friends are more important than the quality of your birds."
Heine Bijker - 4 time World Cup Roller Fly Champion
What is a Birmingham Roller Pigeon?
History
The Birmingham Roller Pigeon originated sometime in the mid 1800's in the Birmingham/Midlands area of England, hence its name. The exact breeds used to create the Birmingham Roller are not known but it is believed that the Dutch Tumbler, Old English Tumbler, West of England Tumbler and the Oriental Roller were some of the breeds used to create this breed.
Physical Appearance
The Birmingham Roller is a performance breed. Therefore there is no nationally approved show standard for this breed.
Generally speaking, the Birmingham Roller is a medium to small bird. They are between 7-10 ounces and of a wedged (apple bodied) shape. Every part of this bird should be in balance with each other, meaning that no feature should be overly large or small. They should have the appearance of a scaled down racing homer.
In the 1970's there was a push towards "Dual Purpose" rollers. These are rollers that were supposedly bred for show and performance. This created a major rift in the hobby between show and performance fanciers. What ultimately occurred was the creation of the Show roller breed and the separation from the performing Birmingham Roller.
Aerial Performance
The following is a description of the performance of a Birmingham Roller that was penned by Lewis Wright many decades ago that is still an accurate description today. "The true Birmingham Roller turns over backwards with inconceivable rapidity through a considerable distance like a spinning ball." What this means is that the roller does consecutive backward somersaults at such a speed that you are not able to count the revolutions. Also, the drop should be straight and true without any deviation. They should also drop anywhere from 10 feet to 60 feet, and sometimes even deeper. The better performers will roll at least once a minute and after the roll fly straight back to the kit (team), ready to do another roll.
General Care
The Birmingham Roller is a very hardy breed and they do not require any special care. They are very good parents and are able to raise their own young. Just follow the basic rules of not overcrowding, keeping the loft dry, clean feed, grit and water, and the birds will thrive.
Housing
Being a performance breed, the Birmingham Roller flyers need to be kept seperate from your breeding stock. The breeders can be kept in an open loft but the flyers should be kept seperate. One reason for this is that you don't want to fly a hen that is ready to lay. There have been instances of hens injurning themselves and even dying by rolling while carrying an egg.
Most fanciers keep their flyers in small pens called kit boxes. These kit boxes range in size from 3' x 3' x 3' to walk in sized pens that hold an average of 20-25 birds. The main reason for these seperate pens is to have the control of the feed and exercise that each kit (team) receives. Also, you are able to seperate your kits by age/perfromace to get the most performance from you kit. Even if you raise rollers just for fun and never fly in a competition I believe that you will have a greater enjoyment of you birds if flown from kit boxes.
If you do a little research on the web you will find a lot of different designs for kit boxes. Some are very small and dark, with very little sunlight entering the box, and others are large with lots of light and ventilation. There are many differing views on housing your kit birds. I suggest that before you start building, do a little research to see what best suits your needs.
Availability
The Birmingham Roller Pigeon is a fairly popular breed and because of this there are quite a few birds that can be found for sale.
One word of CAUTION, the Birmingham Roller is a performance breed. There are a lot of people selling "Rollers" that are rollers in name only and their performance is unknown.
I feel that the best way to purchase birds is to locate fanciers in your area and visit with them. Visit as many fanciers as possible and don't be in a rush. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Join the local club if there is one. Fanciers will be more willing to let you have decent birds if you really show an interest in the hobby. Even if you are not looking to get into competitions, I feel that you will get more enjoyment out of your birds if they were performance bred.
If you don't have roller fanciers in your area you can do your research on the web. Look at the club sites and see who's winning the competitions. Log on to the forums and ask questions. Roller fanciers are willing to help new fanciers, especially if the new fancier is sincere and shows a genuine interest.
Prices for these birds can run from free to several hundred, even a thousand dollars. Just because a bird is expensive doesn't mean that its a good bird. Do your homework!!! Buyer beware!!!
Competition
There are basically two types of competitions held for the Birmingham Roller. There is a 20 bird fly and an 11 bird fly. The 20 bird fly promotes kit performances and the 11 is more for the individual performer.
The general rules for the 20 bird fly are as follows:
The kit (team) consists of 15-20 birds.
The kit is scored for 20 minutes.
To score, at least 5 birds have to roll simultaneously.
The birds have to roll for a minimum of 10 feet.
If there are 2 or more "outbirds", scoring stops. An outbird is a bird that is away from the kit, flying by itself and not trying to return to the kit. Scoring resumes when there is 1 or non "outbirds".
The general rules for the 11 bird fly are as follows:
The kit consists of 11 birds.
The kit is scored for 20 minutes.
To score, the bird has to roll at least 10 feet and be of an above average quality.
The bird has to roll from the kit to score.
Scoring stops with 2 or more "outbirds" and resumes when there is 1 or non "outbirds".
In the words of 4 time World Champion, Heine Bijker
"The most important thing no one should forget is that this is a hobby and a hobby should be for fun!
The pleasure in the hobby and the friends are more important than the quality of your birds."
