Steiger Cropper
The Steiger cropper is a pouter or cropper pigeon from the German-speaking fancy, a domestic form of the rock dove selected for display rather than flight performance. Like other croppers, it carries an inflatable crop that the bird fills with air during courtship and excitement. The breed is usually described as a medium, active exhibition pigeon with upright station, clean outline and a balanced globe, though local standards decide the finer points of head, leg and color.
Croppers need lofts that let them move and display without bruising the crop on sharp fittings. Feeders and drinkers should be placed so birds can eat comfortably when the crop is partly inflated, and over-heavy birds should not be favored in breeding. Good Steiger cropper stock is steady in the hand, able to rear its own young and sound on the legs. Fanciers preserving the breed often work from small gene pools, so exchanging unrelated birds can be as important as winning a class.
