Search for "Porsche 911 pigeon" and you won't find a car. Porsche 911 is the name of a famous Belgian racing pigeon that founded a whole line. Its descendants sell at auctions in Belgium and the Netherlands and end up in lofts across Europe.
Porsche 911 in a pedigree
Auction listings say things like "grandson Porsche 911", "direct Porsche 911" or "Porsche 911 family". Each means something different:
| Listing | Meaning |
|---|---|
| son / daughter | Porsche 911 is one of the parents – the closest relationship |
| grandson / granddaughter | Porsche 911 is one of four grandparents |
| great-grandchild | Porsche 911 is one of eight great-grandparents |
| family, line | a more distant relationship or through siblings – check the pedigree |
The further back the famous pigeon is, the less the descendant inherits from it. A great-grandchild carries on average about one eighth of a great-grandparent's genes.
How to check a Porsche 911 pedigree
- Find the famous pigeon in the tree. The pedigree must show its ring number, not just the name. A line name alone proves nothing.
- Count the generations. Check that a "grandson" really has Porsche 911 among its grandparents.
- Check the source. Pigeons from this line are sold by well-known auction houses. Compare the ring numbers with the auction pedigree.
- Look at the rest of the pedigree. The dam's side matters just as much. A good pedigree has results on both sides.
- Look at close ancestors' results. Parents with results are worth more than a famous name in the fourth generation.
For ring numbers, results and colours, see how to read a racing pigeon pedigree.
An auction pedigree in Pigeclub
Pedigrees from Belgian and Dutch auctions usually come as PDFs. In Pigeclub you import the file without retyping: it reads the ring numbers, ancestors and notes. Your Porsche 911 pigeon joins your records with its ancestry, and its youngsters' pedigrees build themselves from the parents. Print the pedigree or save it as PDF whenever you need.