Nun

The Nun is a marked fancy pigeon developed in Germany, and its name comes from the coloured cap, or hood, of feathers across the crown and back of the head. Set against an otherwise white body, that hood is meant to call to mind a nun's habit. The sharp contrast between the dark head, tail, and primary flight feathers and the white ground colour is what defines the breed.

Fanciers keep the Nun for show and ornament, not for racing or carrying messages. It is a medium-sized bird with a rounded head, a short beak, and a small shell crest, a patch of reversed feathers at the back of the skull. Judges look at how clean the markings are and how symmetrical the coloured areas sit against the white.

The breed has a calm, easygoing temperament that suits loft life and makes handling straightforward. It's a good match for keepers after an eye-catching, low-fuss bird who can offer a secure loft and stick to a daily care routine.

Who it suits

The Nun suits fancy pigeon hobbyists, show breeders, and keepers after a gentle bird with striking markings. It needs a predator-proof loft, a flock of similarly placid pigeons, and an owner prepared to keep the markings sharp through careful pairing. It's not the bird for anyone chasing a free-flying performance or racing pigeon.

The Nun comes from Germany, where breeders developed it as one of the marked, or pied, fancy pigeons prized for a fixed pattern of coloured and white feathering. They selected birds with a clean coloured hood over the head set against a white body, then worked over generations to make that pattern consistent and symmetrical.

Like most European fancy pigeons, the Nun traces back to the rock dove (Columba livia), the wild ancestor of every domestic pigeon. Selecting for looks rather than function produced the head marking, the shell crest, and the coloured tail and flight feathers that mark the breed out today.

The Nun took hold in fancier circles on the continent and later found favour with enthusiasts in Britain and further afield. It sits within the broader family of colour and pattern pigeons shown at fancy pigeon exhibitions, judged against a written standard for markings and conformation.

Hobbyist breeders keep the line going today, pairing birds with care to hold the hood pattern steady. Since the marking is the breed's whole point, most of its history comes down to fanciers refining and locking in that look.

The Nun is a medium-sized pigeon with a compact, well-balanced body and an upright, alert stance. Its standout feature is the coloured hood covering the head, including the crown and the area around the eyes, while the throat and the rest of the body stay white. The tail and the wing's primary flight feathers carry the same head colour, which balances the pattern from front to back.

The head is rounded, the beak short, and a shell crest of reversed feathers sits at the back of the skull. Clean, sharp lines between the coloured and white areas count for a lot at a show, and smudged or uneven edges mark a bird down.

Coat and colours

The plumage is short and sits close to the body. White makes up most of the bird, while the head hood, the tail, and a set number of outer flight feathers carry the marking colour. Black is the classic, most familiar version, though red, yellow, and dun are also bred. Whatever the colour, breeders aim for a deep, even hood with crisp separation from the white, and matching colour through the tail and flights.

The Nun has a gentle, docile temperament and ranks among the quieter fancy pigeons to keep. It takes handling in its stride, which helps at show time and during routine health checks, and settles into a loft routine without much drama. Around its keeper it stays calm rather than flighty once it's used to daily contact.

With other pigeons the Nun is even-tempered and generally peaceable, mixing in without bother among a flock of similarly calm birds. Cocks can turn a bit more territorial around the nest during breeding, which is standard pigeon behaviour rather than anything to worry about. The breed is social and does better with company than kept on its own.

Like every pigeon it's wary of sudden movement and predators, so a secure, quiet loft helps it stay settled. Its call is the soft cooing typical of domestic pigeons, never loud or persistent.

Day-to-day care comes down to a dry, well-ventilated loft, fresh food and water, and regular cleaning to keep the white plumage and marked areas looking sharp.

Grooming

• Set up a shallow bath two or three times a week so the bird can keep its feathers clean, which matters for a breed carrying white plumage.
• Check the head hood, tail, and flight feathers for staining or breakage, especially ahead of a show.
• Look over the feet and toes regularly for dirt buildup and overgrown nails.
• Keep nest boxes and perches clean to stop feathers getting soiled.

Exercise

• Give the bird daily flight time in a secure aviary or supervised loft flying so it can stretch its wings.
• Provide enough loft space and perches for the flock to move about without crowding.
• Encourage natural activity with grain foraging and access to grit.

Environment

House the Nun in a draft-free loft that stays dry and is shut tight against cats, rats, and birds of prey. Provide separate perches and nest boxes, solid airflow without direct drafts, and protection from heat and cold extremes. In Australian conditions summer heat is the bigger risk, so give the loft shade, cross-ventilation, and a cool, shaded spot the birds can retreat to on scorching days, and check the water isn't running low or heating up in the sun. Pigeons handle a wide range of climates as long as they're kept dry and out of the wind.

The Nun is a granivore and does well on a good pigeon seed and grain mix combining cereals such as maize, wheat, and sorghum with legumes such as peas and beans for protein. Constant access to clean water and insoluble grit lets the bird grind its food, and a mineral or pickstone supports shell formation and general condition. Increase feed during breeding and moulting, and cut back a little in quieter periods.

Treats and supplements

Offer small amounts of greens and the odd oil seed as treats, not as the main diet. Keep grit and a mineral pickstone available at all times, and add a calcium source during the breeding season. Probiotic or vitamin supplements in the water can help through moulting or after stress, used as directed rather than as a substitute for a balanced grain mix.

The Nun is a generally hardy breed with a typical lifespan of 8 to 12 years when kept in clean conditions on a balanced diet. As with all pigeons, most health problems trace back to infectious disease, parasites, or poor loft hygiene rather than to the breed itself. Picking up on changes in droppings, appetite, or activity early is the key to catching problems before they spread through the flock.

Preventive care

• Keep the loft clean, dry, and well ventilated to limit disease.
• Quarantine new or returning birds before they join the flock.
• Provide grit, minerals, and a balanced diet to support immunity.
• Deworm and check for parasites on a regular schedule.
• Follow local veterinary advice on vaccination, such as for paramyxovirus.
• Keep feed and water containers clean and topped up daily.

Training a Nun is mostly about taming it to handling and settling it into loft life, not about flight performance. The breed's calm, docile nature makes it cooperative once it's learned a steady daily routine. Regular gentle contact, feeding at consistent times, and quiet movement around the loft build the bird's confidence. For show birds, the main goal is teaching them to stay composed while being handled and judged.

Basics

1. Spend short, calm sessions near the loft each day so the bird gets used to your presence.
2. Feed at the same times so the bird links you with food and routine.
3. Offer food from the hand once the bird is comfortable, to build trust.
4. Practise gentle, brief handling so the bird tolerates being held and examined.
5. For show birds, get them used to a show pen or cage well ahead of an event.
6. Keep every session short and end on a calm note.

The Nun is a loft bird and needs secure, weatherproof housing that keeps it dry and safe from predators. A good loft has solid walls and a sound roof, ventilation set above bird height to avoid drafts, and enough room for the flock to move without crowding. Each bird needs its own perch, and breeding pairs need nest boxes. An attached aviary or a safe flying area lets the birds get their daily exercise.

Setup checklist

• Secure the loft against cats, rats, and birds of prey.
• Install individual perches and enough nest boxes for pairs.
• Add ventilation above bird height to keep air fresh without drafts, and make sure a hot summer day doesn't turn the loft into an oven.
• Provide a shallow bath and constant fresh water.
• Set up grit and mineral stations.
• Keep a separate quarantine space for new or sick birds.

Nun pairs normally incubate and raise their own young, so most keepers leave the parents to it rather than reaching for an incubator. A hen typically lays two eggs per clutch, and both parents take turns sitting. Incubation runs about 17 to 19 days. After hatching, the parents feed the squabs crop milk for the first few days before moving on to regurgitated grain. If an incubator is used, the figures below are a guide, though parent rearing gives the best results for this breed.

Hatching steps

1. Let the pair settle and lay, expecting about two eggs per clutch.
2. Let both parents share incubation and disturb the nest as little as possible.
3. Keep the loft quiet, dry, and at a steady temperature during sitting.
4. Watch for hatching around day 17 to 19.
5. Check the parents are feeding the squabs crop milk soon after hatch.
6. Provide extra protein, grit, and calcium to the feeding parents.
7. Leave the young with the parents until they're weaned and eating grain on their own.