Good Parlor tumblers or rollers cannot fly. They roll to such a great degree that they roll across the floor or ground. Some will be able to fly a few feet high before rolling, but that's it. Some breeders make a distinction between those that roll on the floor, and those that can fly up a few feet, calling one group rollers, and one tumblers, but most breeders just consider them one breed, choosing for the best rolling ability, which means the nonflyers only, and consider the others to be lesser quality. The competitions use only the nonflyers, judging based on the greatest distance rolled along the ground. Birmingham rollers on the other hand are a flying breed. They get airborne, as much as several hundred feet, before they begin rolling, and then most break out of it and continue to fly. There are many, many other breeds of tumblers or rollers. Most have long since lost the ability to perform, and have been changed instead into show birds, bred for type, color or ornamentation.


Reply With Quote

Bookmarks