Ahhhhhh Eyesign!!!…..
it’s one of the biggest debates in our sport. Some absoluely love it and think it’s the best way of evaluating their birds and some absoluetly hate it and think it’s nothing but myth.
Well I wanted to start a discussion and see what your views are on eyesign? post your comments below and share your views on eyesign, share if you have any experience using it and what the outcome was. Is it part of your evaluation process? and if so what do you use it most for, finding racers are breeders?
So go ahead and share you views on eyesign by posting your comments here.
What are your views on eyesign?
Pigeon Racing Pigeons 
#1 by ex-para on March 30, 2011 - 7:56 am
I would not knock the idea as I do not know enough about it but I do not pay any attention to it and I have raced since the 1950s.
#2 by Jerry on March 27, 2011 - 11:41 am
I don’t think eyesign works, I know that the basket works. I like pretty eyes on a bird but, thats’ all they are pretty eyes. Bottom line, I don’t belive in it. I do belive in the basket.
#3 by Steve King on March 14, 2011 - 8:17 pm
I have been racing pigeons for about 7 years. I have learned how to select my race team by
eye sign / quality and boyancy. Every year I raise 30 young birds, after training I select for
my race team. Normally I’ll end up with around 15 or 20 after training. One week before the
first race I go to the loft to pick my team 2010 YB’s I picked only 5. 3 out of 5 won races
the other two came very close. I don’t mob fly, I just fly what I know!
#4 by rajras on March 11, 2011 - 1:03 am
firstly eye sign is to find weather a pigeon is a breeder or racer.
secondly pigeons obsevation power can been seen through eyes (eg when bird shriks the pupil)
thirdly the memory
#5 by jerry on February 28, 2011 - 6:43 am
well i no in the old days, dog breeders would look in the mouth. if the dog had a white mouth it was to be a good one. my advice is if it wins a race or trees a coon. then thats is when they say look at that eye or look at that mouth. i say train your birds, race them an hope that hawks dont grab them. just fly and enjoy your birds.
#6 by Arun Anand on February 28, 2011 - 1:53 am
Eye Signs do have some truth in them.. RUSS :-We dont look at people or other animals eye signs for the simple reason we dont see the need for them to find their way back home with their feet that too in good timing…
lolz
#7 by Warren Smith on February 24, 2011 - 4:46 pm
This “debate” has been around for a very long time. Those who do believe that one can tell the racing and breeding quality of a racing pigeon by “signs” they see within a pigeons eye, are often very adamant about it being a “science” and about their abilities to “read” these signs. My thinking is that folks can believe, that which they choose to believe. One is never going to convince these “true believers” that there are some holes in their theories, and frankly, I don’t see the value in trying to convince them otherwise. Those that earn a portion of their living from selling pigeons, have figured out that some percentage of pigeon fanciers do believe in such things, so it’s no wonder that pigeons sold as “Breeding Stock” will amazingly always have a wonderful “Breeders Eye”…..so go figure :)). Personally, I prefer to examine the racing history and the breeding history of a pigeon in order to gage it’s value. If someone would care to come to our club on shipping night, and examine the eyes of the pigeons which are being entered into the race, and then can thus inform me based on “eye sign” which bird will be the winning bird the following day, then I may have to revisit the subject.
#8 by MYRON S KULIK on January 22, 2011 - 1:55 pm
FOR JUSTIN *** JERRY *** NARDUS VOLSCHENK,AND ALL OTHERS WHO THINK THAT EYESIGN HAS NO VALUE.!!!
THOSE THAT THINK IT HAS NO VALUE,LITTLE VALUE OR A SCAM.!!!!! IT WORKS, AND IT WORKS FOR BREEDING AND RACING.!!! OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH.!!! THERE ARE SPECIFIC BIRDS FOR BREEDING WHO FLY,BUT DO NOT ALWAYS WIN RACES, BUT YET ARE BREEDERS.
THE RACE WINNERS FLY AND WIN, BUT DO NOT ALWAYS BREED THEIR LIKE. IT IS HERE THAT THOSE WHO STUDY EYESIGN, CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE.
THIS DIFFERENCE CAN ALSO BE SEEN IN THE NEST AND WHEN BIRDS ARE VERY YOUNG. THE BIRDS ARE BORN OR HATCHED WITH EVERYTHING THAT THEY WILL EVER BE. THEY DO NOT GROW INTO BEING BREEDERS OR FLYERS TO WIN.
NARDUS, WHEN YOU MENTIONED STUD, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT CATTLE, BUT BREEDING RACING PIGEONS IS NO DIFFERENT.
YOU NEED THE RIGHT STUD COCKS AND BROOD HENS TO PRODUCE THE RIGHT QUALITY FOR RACING AND BREEDING.
IF ANYONE HAS A CAMERA AND CAN TAKE CLOSE UP SHOTS OF THE EYE, SEND THEM TO ME AND I’LL GIVE YOU A DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT CAN BE DETECTED FROM GOOD EYE PICS SENT BY E-MAIL.
ANYONE LIVING CLOSE ENOUGH CAN BRING THEM TO MY DOOR.
GIVE IT A SHOT, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE & A LOT TO LEARN.
#9 by Mitch on January 24, 2011 - 1:11 am
Thanks for all your input Myron. I have read your techniques on the Alberta Classic site. It is very simple to understand somewhat similar to Jack Barkel which I follow also very simple to understand. I look for the five rings must be complete for breeders and concentric. Iris must be full in circumference and have character and have depth, eye must have 3-D look as you mentioned. I just raised some youngster with this characteristics, they are inbred so I will outcross and test progeny. I will send you pics of my breeders and see what you think, Thank you. Btw, to all the readers, eyesign is a tool you can use, It is one of the traits I look for. If I have a choice between two breeders with the same physical attributes, I will pick the one with the better eye.
#10 by PigeonRacingFan on January 24, 2011 - 10:26 am
Great addition to the article! Thanks for posting.
-Chris
#11 by pij lover on January 6, 2011 - 7:24 am
well, i am from pakistan and here people do believe in eye sign. i came to know a old fancier who told me alot about this eye sign and even visited my loft and made his coomments according to the bird’s eye and i was astonished to everything he said, was so true.
i can share a website (www.albertaclassic.net)which helped me alot in learning this eye sign but it will only help if someone work hard on learning this skill. Here, in this part people who know this skill dont share it with learners(novoice), thanks to the website from where i came to learn a lot.
take care
#12 by justin on January 5, 2011 - 7:52 am
eyesign is useless in determining if the bird will perform well in races. good bird, good health, good system of management, training, knowing what to feed are what it makes a champion.
#13 by Jerry Tippel on October 20, 2010 - 11:57 am
I think seeing a beautiful Pigeon and seen a beautiful Women. They both have beautiful eyes. I use to keep records on all the birds eyes and I came to the conclusion it’s only good for checking for good health.
#14 by Zakspeed on September 29, 2010 - 10:31 am
As a computer guy, was my believes that I will test my fliers in the basket. Until a fancier visit my lofts and show my best bird out, just by looking at the eyes. Also he pointed all my youngsters to the correct parents. He was on the mark to give each cock and hen in the stock loft, performances and achievements through their babies. Even point out a racer which have a “spot” in the eye, which where indicating that the bird got hurt. Was very impressive. I will geared myself, to take photo’s and compared, race results to it. He dared me to compare his method of “Full eye” paired to “Open eye” combinations, than my method of best with the best.
my 10c thought on eye sign,
Zakspeed
South Africa
#15 by Nardus Volschenk on September 14, 2010 - 7:28 am
Hi
My opinion regarding the eye sign is simple and do not have much to say about it. I believe that the eye does not necessary divide good from bad. The eye does not help a pigeon to be any better than the next. Pigeons win and race constant with all kind of different eyes. I believe the eye is simple all about personal liking. Most pigeon fanciers practice their whole lives to breed the perfect racer that is complete as a package. One can compare it to a farmer, farming with stud cattle. The coal is to have cattle that looks the same to a set standard. The same with pigeons. I try to breed excellent pigeons that does not only race good but also looks good and together with that goes the most beautiful eyes. Why not aim to breed good eyes?
Regards
Nardus Volschenk
South-Africa
#16 by Ahmed on August 11, 2010 - 11:54 pm
I think this is one from more things we should care about it the health and good feed and good training is the most important things we should know about it
#17 by John Narciso on July 29, 2010 - 9:50 am
I think the most important thing is the HEALTH of the loft. 2nd would be selective breeding based on performance and health.
#18 by myron s kulik on July 18, 2010 - 6:41 pm
spencer, where do you live.???? how long you been in the birds & do you own a loupe,???
#19 by spencerfallon on July 18, 2010 - 3:24 am
don’t no enough about to make a comment
#20 by hatchman on July 14, 2010 - 8:40 pm
you knw guys, in our small world of business “believing and listening” is always an advantage to others.. you will not experience victory if u believin ur self only. listen to the words of champion and just believe for what u have seeing and make ur own theories about it. this is the best key for winning.
#21 by myron s kulik on June 21, 2010 - 4:53 pm
MICK,
SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE FROM DOWN UNDER. IF YOU LIVE CLOSE ENOUGH TO ME,BRING SOME BIRDS OVER & I’LL TELL YOU WHERE YOUR BLOOD IS.
IF YOU KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT ** BLOOD ** YOU’D KNOW THAT IT CAN BE SEEN IN THE EYE.
DON’T KNOCK IT, IF YOU KNOW ** NOTHING ** ABOUT IT.
PUT YOUR E-MAIL WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS.
#22 by mick on June 21, 2010 - 11:56 am
i tink its not the eyes that do it its the blood with out good blood your waisting your time its only a myth
#23 by Warren Smith on June 21, 2010 - 10:52 am
I simply don’t have any confidence in the “Science” of eye sign. To me, it’s a lot like man made golbal warming, if you want to believe it, or don’t want to believe it, no amount of evidence will sway you one way or another. When someone is willing and able to back up the claims, with some real, honest to goodness, scientific evidence, I would be happy to look at it again. But, untill then, my eyes sort of like…glaze over.
#24 by myron s kulik on June 21, 2010 - 9:25 am
HEY GREG,
I THINK SOMEONE HERE IS FIBBING ::::
WHEN I PERSONALLY SPOKE TO ALEX, MANY YEARS AGO HE SAID THAT HE WAS NOT AN EYESIGN GUY, *** BUT *** IF YOU EVER LOOK AT I-PIGEON OR OTHER AUCTION SITES YOU WILL SEE WHERE OTHERS USE HIM TO SAY HOW GOOD THEIR BIRDS EYES ARE IN THE INDRODUCTION OF THE BIRDS QUALIFICATIONS.
I PERSONALLY KNEW WHO ROGER WAS REFFERING TOO & WE DID HAVE MANY GO-AROUNDS.
TO PROVE MY POINT ON ALEX, HERE ARE HIS WORDS THAT TELL YOU WHAT TO & WHAT – NOT- TO LOOK FOR IN THE EYE, WITH HIS COMMENT TO FOLLOW *** THAT HE DOES NOT BELIEVE **.
DOES THIS MAKE SENSE ????? NOT TO ME.::
http://www.pigeonsport.net/eyesign/response_12.htm
#25 by myron s kulik on June 20, 2010 - 6:49 pm
GREG,
CAN YOU TAKE PICS OF YOUR BIRDS EYES.???? GOOD ONES.??? IF SO, SEND ME A FEW & I’LL GIVE YOU MY BEST SHOT AT WHAT THEY DID,CAN DO, OR WILL DO, AS FAR AS BREEDING AND OR FLYING.
#26 by Gregory Brooks Homewood Loft on June 19, 2010 - 12:00 am
I always believed the eyesign theorists focused on reading variations in patterns of the iris and correlating those aspects to predict strengths in distance flying, homing intelligence, or the ability to consistently pass those positive qualities to offspring. Now we’re reading the speed of contraction of the pupil for information and the health as evidenced in eyesign, am I right? I read several books on the topic decades ago but was never impressed by the science. When I look into the eyes of my birds I am happy the eye is clear, responsive and alert, not discolored in the white of the eye and not running, or excessively wet looking. I’m happy to see bright, white eye and nasal ceres. I’ve always appreciated pearl eyes and fire iris with red and yellow bottle cap patterns, but that was just cool esthetics to me. Good birds have eyes. Dim ones usually do to I hear.
#27 by myron s kulik on June 18, 2010 - 7:58 pm
jerry soignier , WHAT COUNTRY ARE YOU FROM.???? SEND ME SOME GOOD EYE PICS OF YOUR BIRDS.
#28 by Dries on June 18, 2010 - 9:33 am
Even here in Europe most of the fanciers think its bull, there are other things to see if a bird is a goed flyer/breeder. The results counts.
#29 by Gregory Brooks on June 18, 2010 - 3:48 am
Check out what Roger Morvedt said on the subject
http://www.pigeonsport.net/eyesign/response_09112000.htm
Amen
#30 by hatchman on June 16, 2010 - 1:53 am
well ur all ryt. as a breeders advice, i think u should breed for both qualities(internal/xtrnal) u can sell it on a biG/huge price. thanks! HATCHMAN
#31 by myron s kulik on June 12, 2010 - 8:30 pm
HERE’S SOMETHING TO HELP THOSE INTERESTED IN EYESIGN. THERE IS MORE TO IT THAN MEETS THE EYE AND CAN BE USED FOR BOTH RACING AND BREEDING, NO MATTER WHAT SOME THINK OR SAY.
MANY HAVE BENEFITED FROM IT’S USE.
FEEL FREE TO SEND ANY GOOD EYE PICS TO MY PERSONAL ADDIE.
http://www.tourdesmaritimes.com/Eyesign/Eyesign101/myron_kulik_intro.htm
#32 by Tom Makowecki on June 12, 2010 - 9:47 am
It doesn’t matter at all in racing birds….in breeders the strongest eyes within a bloodline of birds is almost always the better breeders…..There is a lot more than eyesign but studying it and enjoying its beauty – adds to my enjoyment of the sport. We must use everything available to select our pigeons…..even eyesign !
There are families that have tremendously strong eyes but their flying ability has been lost….Picking birds according to eyesign should only be valueable in pigeons that are actually racing near the top.
Lastly – there are MANY< MANY top BREEDERS that raced only average….there are many, many super racers that have bred little or nothing !
#33 by hatchman on June 9, 2010 - 5:23 am
hi, i believe in eyesign. although it wont see in the eye of pigeon if it smart or not but most of a good racer has good eyesign and external qualities, like wings etc. tnx!
#34 by jerry soignier on June 9, 2010 - 3:57 am
I think eye sign is junk science.
#35 by niceflyer on June 8, 2010 - 4:01 am
the eye sign of my bird is color orang nag red can i race that bird
#36 by greg on June 6, 2010 - 7:35 am
I think it is good to remember the eye is but one aspect of a pigeon and it is nice to have a nice eye!
#37 by Bill Jacobs on June 1, 2010 - 3:19 am
Have used eye sign for about 12 years and found it great for finding breeders racers and dual birds. However it has been hard back then to find information on eye sign
So i have looked at hundreds and hundreds of pigeons eyes and worked out what i need from this and had some fun when telling my pigeon mates about thier birds . great for seeing race form and the birds health . Not the only tool i use as i use my eye glass to check the KEAL and im not talking about the pigeons breast.
regards Bill
#38 by Jerry on May 27, 2010 - 9:32 pm
If you just feed and water, clean up after them were is the fun.
There is no money in club races, so what is the draw to keep them? To me it is all the side things, like eyesign, wing theory, genetics, colors. I play with it all. I’m no expert on any of it but that is what makes it fun. If all you had to do was find a great eye and win everything I would have to drop out because I can not speed the money some can to aquire EYES. Got to be more to it than that.
#39 by ron thorn on May 26, 2010 - 10:49 pm
I dont know a whole lot about eye sign.I feel overall health internal and external is more important especally for race birds.If a bird is sick or cant breath properly what good is his eyes?
#40 by charles smith on May 26, 2010 - 8:23 pm
I have found through the years that an intelligent looking head and eye and the sharpness of how a bird conducts itself means much more than the conventional way some try to express certain “qualities” they see in the eye. I do believe distance traits in certain breeds can be seen in the eye that can be duplicated by breeding this characteristic. Like I have heard many times, eyesign is not a sure sign of a champion, but all champions have good eyesign. Charles
#41 by Lee on May 26, 2010 - 5:42 pm
I like to see a healthy set of eyes. But have a hard time believing that it is a deal breaker. Race results and the over all health of the bird is what I am looking for. Performance is overall the key to my breading program. With that said, if the birds eyes are not healthy looking then that bird will not go in the breading program.
#42 by peter dempsey on May 26, 2010 - 4:23 pm
I dont profess to know all there is to know about eyesign???
I do however know people who given the chance will pick out your best birds
like alot of people I to am fasinated by eyesign
I also know its not everybodys cup of tea
so I wont push it ????????
#43 by David on May 26, 2010 - 3:28 pm
Tail sign is the only way to judge . . .
đŸ˜‰
#44 by johann van Jaarsveld on May 26, 2010 - 9:21 am
Hi,I enjoyed the video clip,and found the contents informative,it also adress some of the red herrings abouy the eye sign theory
#45 by Crazy Pete on May 26, 2010 - 8:16 am
I think eye sign is a bunch of bull. An eye sign expert said my champion hen wouldn’t make it home from 10 mi, yet she is an AU champ. He then said to cull my best pair of breeders one of their young was 1st club 12 combine at 500 mi with really bad weather, another was 1 st club 4 th combine on the 600 with good weather. I must be an idiot cause I paid money for his expertise. All they really need is 2 eyes. JMO
Dave
#46 by adrian on May 26, 2010 - 3:10 am
I agree – I think it is just a cranky con – the best birds win races by beating the opposition – not by applying mascara lol
#47 by Russ on May 25, 2010 - 10:48 pm
I really don’t think eye sign makes a difference. We don’t look at people or other animals to say yeah, he is a good racer. IMO.