"some nice birds in here, really"

I have some new neighbors who spend all of their time when not at work out back behind their house training their pigeons.  I have seen them building a coop and doing things with the birds, but finally had a long talk with them about the birds today. Turns out they are rolling pigeons, which I have never actually heard of.

I'm fairly familiar with racing pigeons, or at least iwth the sport of since I have zero techbnical know how about raising birds or racing them. But it was an interest of mine for some time after becoming aware of the sport in Appalachian Tennessee. It is a world way bigger than you can imagine, actually. And it is a pretty fascinating world. I quote the American Racing Pigeon Union: "Remember, these birds are very different, in nearly every way, from anything you have ever thought of when you thought, "pigeon." The registered Homing Pigeon - the athlete - will be a source of great enjoyment. "

That is a great expression, no? "The registered Homing Pigeon - the athlete "

Rolling pigeons seem to be another thing entirely. It is about having them fly up and then roll down. Now this I had never seen before. They have meets, competitions, and etc. Astonishing how little one knows of this world, isn't it?

This guy John Jay has quite a series of videos on rolling pigeons.