Rafeno Cropper
The Rafeno cropper, also called the Rafeño buchón in Spanish contexts, is a Spanish pouter or cropper breed of domestic pigeon. It belongs to the group of pigeons selected for an inflated crop, upright display, and courtship behavior rather than speed racing. The breed is associated with the Spanish fancy and may be seen in several colors and markings. Its appeal lies in the characteristic crop, carriage, head and beak type, and the confident display expected of traditional Iberian pouters.
Rafeno croppers need housing that allows display without crowding, because males can be active and territorial during courtship. Breeding selections should balance the desired crop and breed type with easy breathing, sound fertility, and the ability to rear young. Overemphasis on extreme features can make a line less practical, so experienced keepers watch body condition and pair compatibility closely. In regions where Spanish pouter flying customs are practiced, handling, trapping, and safe loft design are part of stewardship; elsewhere the breed is more often kept for exhibition and preservation.
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
