Elster Cropper
The Elster cropper is a pouter or cropper breed of domestic pigeon, its German name referring to a magpie pattern. As with other croppers, it descends from the rock dove, Columba livia, but has been shaped for an inflated crop, upright display, and strongly patterned plumage rather than for racing or meat production. The magpie effect usually means sharp contrast between white areas and colored sections such as black, blue, red, or yellow, though exact placement and accepted colours depend on the standard followed.
Cropper pigeons are best housed where they can display without crowding, because the expanded crop and upright stance make rough, cramped lofts hard on them. Feed should keep birds fit rather than heavy, and breeders watch that the crop does not interfere with normal eating or parenting. Pair selection in Elster croppers balances crop size, stance, pattern edges, and fertility. For buyers, a calm bird that inflates freely but settles normally is usually more useful than one selected only for extreme display.
Colors: Almond, Ash Red, Bar, Barless, Black, Blue, Brown, Checker, Dilute, Dun, Grizzle, Indigo, Mottle, Opal, Pied, Recessive Red, Red, Silver, Splash, Spread, White, Yellow
