Frillback
A selectively bred pigeon with curled wing feathers.
The Frillback is a domesticated pigeon breed created through selective breeding, descending from the rock pigeon (*Columba livia*). Its defining feature is the frill, or curls, covering the wing shield feathers, with curls also required at the ends of the foot feathers, known as muffs.
Breed quality is judged on a 100-point scale: the curl accounts for 50 points, the head and color 15 points each, the muff 10 points, and the body 10 points. Standard colors fall into six categories: Self (white, black, recessive red, yellow); Pattern (recessive red mottle, yellow mottle, rosewing, whiteside); Grizzle (red, yellow, blue, silver); Shield marked (red, yellow, blue-black bar, silver-dun bar, mealy ash-red bar, ash-cream bar); ARC (any rare color); and ARCP (any rare color pattern). ARC and ARCP varieties must be entered by at least three exhibitors at three of five American Frillback shows over three years, with documented judging score progress, before being accepted. Many common colors and patterns, such as pied, are not recognized as standard because they do not reproduce consistently.
Frillbacks are slightly larger than other colored pigeon breeds, with long tail and wing feathers. Both shell-crested and plain-head varieties exist in all colors. A plain head should be slightly oval with no flat areas and a distinct stop at the wattle. A shell crest should be thick, with rosettes on each side, standing off the head. Eyes align with the beak; reddish-orange is desired in all colors except shield marked, which require black or "bull-eye" eyes. Pearl, gravel, or cracked eyes are major faults. The beak is long, with the upper beak often slightly longer; color varies by variety: dark on red and blue grizzles, black on blacks, light on yellow, horn on silver, and flesh on all other standard colors. The wattle is thin and white on all colors. Muff length varies, with 2 to 3 inches desirable.
The curl must cover the entire wing shield with no bare areas; the last row of curls spans the full wing length, forming distinct ringlet curls at the ends. The bottom of the muff is also frilled, and tail and flight feathers show a distinct wrinkle.
Quick Facts
- Augroup
- Asian feather and voice pigeons
- Usgroup
- Fancy pigeons
- Eegroup
- Structure pigeons
- Feather
- curled over body
- Note
- A breed of pigeon which is very far removed from its wild ancestor with its curly feathers
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The beak is long, with the upper beak often slightly longer than the lower. Beak color varies by color variety. The wattle is thin and white on all colors. Muff length is 2 to 3 inches desirable. The curl covers the entire wing shield with no uncovered areas; the last row of curls spans the entire wing length, forming distinct ringlet curls. The bottom of the muff is also frilled, and tail and flight feathers have a distinct wrinkle.
Reader's Guide
The Frillback represents a specialized outcome of selective breeding within domesticated pigeons, all descended from the rock pigeon. Its significance lies in the extreme emphasis on feather curl, which accounts for 50 of the 100 judging points. This focus on a single trait—the frill—distinguishes the breed within pigeon fancying. The breed's color categories, including rare color and pattern classes with strict exhibition requirements, illustrate the structured approach to breed standardization. The Frillback's legacy is tied to the American Frillback Club's efforts to maintain and judge these traits, while acknowledging that many non-standard colors and patterns commonly occur. The breed's physical characteristics—long tail and wing feathers, specific head shapes, eye color preferences, and beak coloration rules—demonstrate the detailed standards that guide breeders. The Frillback thus serves as an example of how human selection can produce and preserve distinct morphological features in a domesticated species.
Did You Know?
- The Frillback's curl accounts for 50 out of 100 points in judging standards.
- Shield marked Frillbacks desire a black or 'bull-eye' eye color, while other colors desire reddish-orange.
- ARC and ARCP Frillbacks must be entered by at least 3 exhibitors in 3 of 5 American Frillback shows for 3 years before being deemed appropriate.
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