March/April 2025

20 – Purebred PIGEON Pouters in Ice By Jerry Sindelar Ice color on pigeons has been known for centuries. The Damascene was probably first breed with a clear ice color. In 1676, Willoughby mentioned ancestors of this breed, the Mawmets. Then Fulton in 1885 and others at that era, published Damascene as clear ice colored breed. Similar coloring could be found on Krakow then the Polish Tumbler, Ice pigeon, later Italian Owl etc. Gene “Ice”, symbol “Ic”, not sex-linked is partly dominant, lightening coloration in homozygous birds. Not all breeds have same shade, some are slightly darker, due to different modifiers or survived genes from the past. It exists mostly on blue base birds, sometimes diluted blue, creating lighter variety so called “pearl” often classified as light ice. Combinations of Ice and other factors create also variety as forellen and with Toy-Stencil-Complex a porcelain, now new standard with Oriental Frills marking in tail. The combination with the color brown and ash red is rare, except of true “pearl” Polish Highfliers, which are of brown base, showing this color in the tail bar, both also in diluted colors. Several breeds can present also Ice-mimic, as homers, Russian, Turkish and Arabian breeds, also in the dilute version. The gene Ice lightens feathers to silvery ice white, when the base is actually darkening. This action makes some problem on pouter breeds, especially on blown crop, where the feathering is on larger area, show- ing base color. It is noticed more on checkered varieties, where pattern is darker. The color has been lately very improved in the ice color by selection. Ice birds are producing lots of feather dander, which protects birds partly against rain, but prevents to be metal shiny as on blue birds at show pen. Ice color has been existing in many stages and combinations in many breeds, also several attempts are made on pouters, especially Brunners, but only time and patient work will show how successful this will be. Over one hundred years only one pouter breed is known as a breed, to be pure ice colored. Color, which is the breed’s brand, giving also the breed its name: the Czech Ice Pouter. Its history is not well known, exist- ing in eastern part of Bohemia since the mid 19th century as a foraging pigeon, good flier and parent with exceptional color. First mention of it in literature was probably in 1909. At shows, they were present from the be- ginning, but only by a few breeders. This was the reason that its standard was delayed and was published for first time in 1925. Czech Ice is a medium size pouter, originally a stronger utility bird, today valuable also as a show breed with erect stance, rare ice color, vital- ity and good parenthood. Valuation when judging: Over-all impression, body shape, globe, station, color, marking, eyes, cere, beak. It exists as barred or checkered, both also as white-flighted variety; desirable dark pattern strongly contrasts with the body color, eyes are red, eye cere dark. Ice gene was transferred also on brown/khaki birds in USA Damascene Czech Magazine cover with Ice Pouter Ice Pouter painting by J.Janska