American Roller
A fancy pigeon bred for rolling flight and show.
The American Roller is a fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding, originating from tumbler strains found in England as early as 1765. It is a performing breed named for its unique flying style, in which it occasionally interrupts forward flight by rolling backwards.
Quick Facts
- Distribution
- United States
- Use
- Flying
- Life Span
- 12 years
- Male Weight
- 9 onzes
- Female Weight
- 8 onzes
- Classification Label
- Australian
- Classification Data
- Not listed
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The American Roller was developed as a continued separation of Roller strains, rather than as a concerted effort to create a new breed. Rollers were first brought into Canada by J.V. McAree of Toronto, obtained from the Whittinghams of Birmingham, England. In 1932, further importations into the U.S. came from William Pensom, also of Birmingham, creating a strain that set itself apart from other Rollers for a time. The United Roller Club of America (URCA) started in 1935, supporting all Roller strains including show Rollers. Rollers were shown by 1936 at the National Pigeon Association's show in Peoria, Illinois, but a show standard of structural excellence was not developed until 1946 by the URCA.
Reader's Guide
The American Roller represents a distinct branch in the Roller pigeon family, emerging from English tumbler strains through separate importations and selective breeding in North America. Its significance lies in the dual development of both flying performance and show standards, supported by clubs such as the URCA and later the American Roller Club (established 1951). By 1957, 81 American Rollers were shown at a local Oregon event. Over time, four common strains—Whittinghams, Birmingham, Pensom, and American—were recognized under the roller breed banner, though as of 2026 only the Birmingham and American remain. The breed is noted for being tame, easy to handle, and suitable for beginners, with a tear-shaped body, pearl-white eyes, and a fingernail-colored beak. Its legacy is tied to the social and competitive aspects of pigeon showing after World War II, with regional clubs forming across the Midwest, Cleveland, Virginia, and the Southwest. Only the U.S. maintains a standard for the American Roller, and a few birds were exhibited at the National show in 2026 at Oklahoma City.
Did You Know?
- The breed's name comes from its unique flying style of occasionally rolling backwards during forward flight.
- As of 2026, only the Birmingham and American strains remain common under the roller breed banner.
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