What breed and sex are these?

[Herp Lover]

I found Sputnik in front of Petco. Me and my brother were able to corner it and grab it and I could not find it's owner, animal control would not take it and referred me to a wildlife person but they would not take it because it is a pet and no one would take it when I tried to give it away so I got stuck with it. It seemed really lonely so I bought it a companion and now they have chicks. I was told that Sputnik is some kind of high flyer and might be a Iranian High Flyer but I have no idea what Apollo is and I don't know who is the male since Sputnik was displaying to my Cockatiels and to Apollo but after the first set of eggs which did not hatch Apollo is now the one displaying to Sputnik. I can get better pictures if these are no good. Also they are curently in a dog crate indoors because we just moved and have not built a new cage for them yet. I could not get the pictures to show up so I put links to them.

Here is Sputnik
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o172/Rattie_2007/Birds/102_2207.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o172/Rattie_2007/Birds/103_2501_zps1ffb3f2e.jpg

and this is Apollo
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o172/Rattie_2007/Birds/103_2505_zpsb747f3fe.jpg

And the babies
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o172/Rattie_2007/Birds/103_2490_zps1c882f7c.jpg

 

[bluenkimchi]

They both look like white racing homer pigeons to me? It's the common type of pigeon that are usually called white dove and release at weddings. They are also use for racing, where they are taken to a certain predetermine place and let out, then they're time to see which one comes back to their home the fastest. They do occasionally get lost when they get set free, reason why you will sometime see so many lost and lonely friendly pigeons. Well clearly one is a male and the other a female since they had babies. Both will take turn sitting and taking care of the eggs/babies. Since they are both white you might have got them confuse at some point? To make it easy on you you should maybe put a zip tie on one of them so you can tell them apart. The male will be the one that gets aggressively cooing and trying to court the other one then getting on top of it to mate. You will see this behavior pretty soon in a few weeks when they start making a new nest of eggs. Oh almost forgot females will sometimes also coo but they won't get as aggressive as the male that is trying to court.

 

[Herp Lover]

Thanks, I thought they were homers at first but there heads look different then the ones I see online. Apollo has a gray spot on it's back and a band and Sputnik has orange eyes so they are easy to tell apart.

 

[bluenkimchi]

That's nice that they have some different markings to tell them apart. Well I could have been wrong, maybe some mixed breed? Well just wait in a few weeks when they start building a new nest you will definitely tell who is what gender for sure.

 

[spikennipper]

Sputnik looks to be the hen in this pairing, the easiest way to tell would be the hen does the bulk of the brooding, she will be the one on the nest overnight.

 

[Herp Lover]

Ok thanks, Sputnik is the one who sits on the nest at night.

 

[Pigeon Power]

In the photo the beaks and heads do not look like a homer....I would say roller(also superr common)! Can you fit one hand around the body of the bird or close to it??

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

How big are they? Sputnik looks like it may be a highflier, based on it's long flights and head shape. Apollo looks like either a homing pigeon or a utility king. It's a very good chance they are mixed breeds as well. Probably dumped by someone who no longer wanted them or released for a wedding (irresponsible because you should only use trained homing pigeons for that). Pick each up and feel the area near the vent and you will feel their pelvic bones, which come to a point in a V-shape. The hen should have a larger gap between the two bones and the male's should be closer together or touching.