R
eviled incitiesaround the
worldas“skyrats”and
“gutterbirds”,pigeonsare
hardly themostbelovedof
birds.Except, that is, in the
coastaroundAlicante,MurciaandValencia,
where theDayGlopigeonsarea farcry from
theirgreyurbancousins.Here,aclose-knit
communityofpigeonbreeders–knownas
colombaires
– lovinglypaint theirbirds in
garish fooddyeandrelease them into theair
tochaseaftera lone female, thewinner
beingnot the fastestpigeonbut theone that
manages tomostchivalrouslywoo the
objectofaffection.
Colombicultura
, as the
uniquely Iberiansport isknown, isahidden
world, and in thisall-maleenvironment,
moneyand localprestigereston thewings
ofchampionpigeons.
The intricaciesofcolombiculturawere
capturedbySpanishphotographerRicardo
Cases in2011and turned intoaphotobook
titled
PalomaalAire
(
Pigeon intheAir
). “I
wanted toworkonaprojectset in the town
where Iwasborn,”saysCasesofhisdecision
tophotograph thecolombairesand their
birds. “Ichose thissportbecausealthough
it ispopularon theMediterraneancoast,
peopledon’tknowabout itanywhereelse.”
Pigeonswerefirstbrought toSpain
following theArab invasion in711, and
just 200yearsafter their introduction, the
ancientSpaniardsexperiencedaproblem
familiar tomillions incitiesaround the
world today–pigeonpoo.Reportedly, the
bridgeabove theSegura river inMurcia
wascovered insomuchof thestuff that it
became impossible tocross.Yet, thebirds
continued tobevalued for theirmeat,
plumageandeven theirdroppings, known
as
palomina
,whichprovidedahigh-quality
natural fertiliser.
While theexactoriginsof
colombiculturaareunclear, theworld’s
firstpigeon sportsclubwas founded in
Spain in 1773. Itwasn’tuntil 1944,however,
that thepursuitwasofficially recognised
asanational sportandanofficialbody, the
FederaciónEspañoladeColombicultura,
was founded.
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Opening pages
⁄
Aflockof pigeons
flyingover a
cemetery– the
bright colours
make it easy for
thecolombaires to
recognise their birds
This page
(from top)
⁄
Acolombaireducks
to avoid acollision
withoneof hisbirds;
retrieving abird
after a race– the
colombaires are
mostlyolder, retired
men; acolombaire
paints thewingsof
hisbirdusing food
dye; abreeder sets
thedyeonhisbird
Opposite
⁄
Pigeons alight on
power linesmid-race
(
top
); acolombaire
cradleshisbirds
