The Canaria Cropper. Text and drawings: Renaat Crommen (Belgium)

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1 The Canaria Cropper Text and drawings: Renaat Crommen (Belgium) The Canary Cropper is one of the Spanish or Iberian Cropper groups, which unlike the other Cropper breeds, have a different history. They didn t come to Europe from the Orient, but from South America. This is not surprising since the whole of South America was discovered and colonised by Spaniards and Portuguese. This different origin also explains why Spanish croppers have a different balloon shape. Almost all have a so-called hanging crop. This crop is never blown to globular or pear shape, but hangs down smoothly. The volume is also a lot less. The Gaditano cropper is an exception, but that breed was created by crossing with the Norwich cropper. Besides the hanging crop, all Spanish croppers have another similar feature: their enormous fierce temperament. By the way, the reason that croppers inflate their crops is a result of their very high sex drive. With the Spanish croppers this drift is even higher, partly because this also has been selected for in the course of years.

2 Left: Canaria Cropper, goldneck, young hen, awarded 96 points. Ownerer: Amigo s. Avicorni EXPO, 2007 Utrecht (NL). Right: Canaria Cropper white. Entered for recognition by Camaradas SIS. Kleindier EXPO 2006, Veemarkt Halls Utrecht (NL). Photo: Aviculture Europe. Left: Canaria Cropper blue black barred. Entered for recognition by Camaradas SIS. Kleindier EXPO 2006, Veemarkt Halls Utrecht (NL). Photo: Aviculture Europe. Spanish Croppers were and are not only bred to perform at exhibitions. Many enthusiasts love them because of their flight performance, thief capacities or for various types of competitions. There are competitions in which a cock should entice as much hens as possible from other breeders and lure them to its own loft. Right: Canaria Cropper blue black barred, young cock. 96 points. EZHSV-Show Owner: R. v. Puffelen. Photo: Aviculture Europe. These cocks (also called machos) fly several kilometers away in search of hens. A good macho will continue to court the hen until it surrenders and flies with him. There are also competitions involving up to 100 breeders bringing their best macho to a certain location. Here one single hen is set free to fly for several hours. The cock that manages to fly closest to the hen or even mates her, wins. Every cock will try to follow the hen as closely as possible, both in the air and on the ground or in trees or pines. This is a real spectacle to watch..

3 As its name suggests, the Canaria Cropper has been created at the Canary Islands. These islands are situated between South America and Spain. The Canaria Cropper is the result of crosses between the Canary rock pigeon Columba livia canariensis, the old Valenciano Cropper and the Rafeño Cropper. Fortunately this has not affected its flying ability. The current Dutch Valenciana Cropper is evolved mainly by Dutch influence into a real exhibition pigeon with the result that it became impressive, but also has become a roofsitter - meaning it lost the ability and interest to fly in competition. The Dutch have changed it so much that it is even considered a Dutch breed. The Canary Cropper has however remained authentic. It inherited its temperament, seduction power and vanity of the old-type Valenciano, and the bone structure of the Rafeño. Right: Canaria Cropper, blue pied, young hen. Champion Show 2012, Nieuwegein (NL). Photo: Piet Steeman (Belgium). Left: Canaria Cropper, blue black barred, young cock, 94 points. Champion Show 2012, Nieuwegein (NL). Photo: Piet Steeman (Belgium). A Canaria Cropper is a good flyer and can easily stay in the air for several hours. It is a real work dove. On the loft it is perhaps a relatively small pigeon with ditto crop, but in the air, it is great. It is very athletic and flies fast and agile. It flies with a half-blown pear shaped hanging crop. The crop must not be too large, because this would put the bird off balance in flight. While flying its tail is fairly closed and its wings make a clapping sound. The tail, however, opens at the sight of another bird, but remains in a straight line with his back. Left: Canaria Cropper, blue black barred with sooty factor. Champion Show 2011, Nieuwegein (NL). Photo: Piet Steeman (Belgium). Due to his temperament the cock is always in action, even on the ground. The Canary Cropper is a great seducer. He parades for the female to lure her to his loft. His behavior looks quite arrogant and violent, but it is never aggressive. At no time will touch, peck or slap the hen.

4 Right: Canaria Cropper, blue pied. Welvershow (Germany) Photo: Left: Canaria Cropper, blue pied. Welvershow (Germany) Photo: He will also be extremely arrogant towards his male competitors, but the Canary Croppers do hardly fight. Despite his temperament, his character is perfectly quiet, gentle and peaceful. This is in contrast to most other Spanish breeds, which are so aggressive that they are best housed separated (per couple). The Canary Cropper is tame and never shy or timid, which is a serious fault. Right: Canaria Cropper, black pied. Welvershow (Germany) Photo: Left: Canaria Cropper, silver faded. Welvershow (Germany) Photo: The Canary Cropper is a good hunter. In his quest to lure other pigeons in his loft he can travel long distances. He is also particularly a stay-at-home and bonded to his loft, i.e. he himself will not soon leave his own loft because of an attractive foreign partner.

5 Right: Canaria Cropper, ashred barred. Loudly clapping its wings when taking off, clearly in its element. Left: Canaria Cropper blue pied on the roof. Always ready to fly. Left and below: The same Canaria Cropper, majestically gliding through the air. Left: This Canary Cropper tries to persuade a lonely homing pigeon to fly home with him. Also, the Canary Cropper will not bother a large group of pigeons in the vicinity, only stray or single pigeons will be lured to the loft. This is certainly a positive quality if you do not want problems with pigeon fanciers around.

6 Right: Canaria Cropper, ash red barred pied, breeding on the nest. The Canary Cropper will rear its own youngsters without problem. They are good parents and rarely suffer from sour crop. It is thus an easy to keep breed. No wonder that this - together with their character and flying skills - is the basis of the increasing popularity of the breed. 10 years ago, the breed was totally unknown in the Netherlands, however, at the shows and young animals days of the Specialty Club of Iberian Pigeon Breeds (SIS), we often find 100 to 180 Canary Croppers. Also in Spain and Argentina, there is much interest in the breed. Breed characteristics It is a small to medium sized Cropper with a hanging crop. The preferred length is 20 cm. to 25 cm., the preferred weight 300 en 450 gram. The type should be broad and compact, the shoulders broad and powerful, the body not too long. Seen from the top, the body form is a triangle; the body form of an athlete. Left: Head study of a blue black barred Canaria Cropper. Drawing: Renaat Crommen. In reality many Canary Croppers are too narrow and sometimes a bit too small. This could be the result of the crossings with the Rafeño Croppers. Although, we don t want the size of the large Valenciana Cropper, as this would adversely affect the flying performance. The stance is hardly ever giving problems. Medium high, head up, crop not touching the ground. The short, broad back is gradually tapering in a straight line to the tail, not hollow nor bulging. The underline is more horizontal, this makes a triangle seen from the side too. Right: Head study of a blue black barred Canary Cropper. The rounded head is a breed characteristic; broad and well rounded from the tip of the beak to the back

7 of the head. Full and wide from the base of the beak to its widest point between the eyes. This ram-shaped head hides the eyes from view when viewed from the front or above. The beak is rather short and wide. The upper mandible is slightly bowed to the tip of the beak. The wattles are fine and smooth, like 2 rice grains. In older cocks small warts at the sides and under the beak are tolerated. The eye colour is orange to red, preferably red. The eye ceres are fine, although double eye ceres are tolerated in older birds. All these features of the head give the Canaria Cropper a typical raptor-like expression. The Spanish Standard requires literally "the expression of a hawk", the ultimate hunter. Left: Canaria Cropper, ash red pied barred. The neck is medium long, the pear shaped crop not to be too large. The crop begins as a dewlap on the lower mandible. The crop forms a draped triangle, hanging from a centre crease, beginning at the dewlap and ends at the lower part of the crop. The crop skin is just overflowing the shoulders. The crop should preferably possess two side creases, giving the crop structure. The wings are carried loose to the body, the flight feathers almost reaching the end of the tail. The flight feathers with plenty of cover over the back and resting on the tail, also when the Canaria Cropper is in action. The wing shield are wide. The legs are clean-legged, hardly medium long and set rather wide apart. The feathering is soft, tight and smooth as silk; this feature has been inherited from the Canary rock pigeon. Colours There are many recognised colours and patterns: Self, Chequer, White Flighted, Tigered, Grizzle and Pied. However, the typical colours that we know from the other Spanish Croppers give this breed its true nobility, such as the colour varieties Blue Black Barred, Brown, Khaki Barred, but also Ash colour and Gold-neck (also called Faded). Right: Canaria Cropper, Black pied. Ideal triangle type, but in the photo it is faced upwards as if ready to fly. So far, in Belgium there are not many breeders of this wonderful breed, but its recent recognition will certainly change this in the coming time.

8 Left: Canaria Cropper blue pied. Right: Canaria Cropper ash red (strawberry)pied. Left: Canaria Cropper, khaki. Right: This blue pied Canaria Cropper greets you as a (temporary) farewell. The breed is highly recommended for a novice breeder and can easily be kept with other breeds. Finally I wish to thank Piet Steeman for his expert advice and assistance on this article. For more information on this breed and other Iberian Fancy Pigeon Breeds: Specialty club for Iberische Sierduivenrassen S ecretary: M. Fehling, Leyweg 23, 2545 CB Den Haag, the Netherlands bolthrower67@hotmail.com Copyright 2012 Aviculture-Europe. All rights reserved by VBC.