Voorburg Shield Cropper
The Voorburg Shield Cropper is a breed of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding. Being domesticated pigeons, Voorburg Shield Croppers are descendants of the rock dove (Columba livia). This breed was developed by C.S. Theodore Van Gink at Voorburg in the Netherlands in 1935. "Shield" refers to the wing shields, the covert feathers covering the wings, which according to the standard, are the only pigmented feathers visible on an alighted bird. Their enlarged necks, referred to as a "globe", is actually a crop that is inflated; all pigeons inflate their crops to vocalize (coo), but croppers and pouters maintain the inflation of their crops due to a behavioral quirk selected through artificial selection. Their NPA standard for their behavior reads: Due to being the standard, the breed is well known for its friendliness to humans, its lively mannerisms, and affectionate nature. During showing, the birds "should give a constant, active performance" to the judges, which is the same display they would perform in courtship towards other pigeons.
| Life Span | 6-15 years |
| Weight | 0.2-0.5 kg |
What to Know Before Buying a Voorburg Shield Cropper
Finding a responsible Voorburg Shield Cropper breeder requires more than browsing classified ads or responding to social media posts. The USDA requires any breeder who sells pigeons commercially — especially those selling online or through third-party dealers — to hold a federal license and submit to regular inspections. A legitimate breeder should be willing to provide their USDA license number, invite you to visit their facility, and show you where the animals are housed and socialized.
Before committing to a purchase, ask the breeder for veterinary health records, vaccination documentation, and any genetic testing results relevant to the Voorburg Shield Cropper. Reputable breeders will also ask you questions in return — about your living situation, experience with animals, and ability to provide long-term care. A breeder who asks no questions and is eager to ship an animal immediately is a significant red flag.
Use the search tool below to check whether any USDA-licensed facilities breeding Voorburg Shield Croppers appear in our database. If they do, review their inspection history carefully. Look for patterns of violations, pay attention to severity levels, and compare their compliance grade with other breeders in the same state. This due diligence takes minutes and can save you from supporting a facility with documented animal welfare problems.
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Search our database of USDA-licensed facilities to find inspected breeders and check their compliance history.
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