Krim White

(Krimski bela Vislokrilije Golubenije)

The Krim Statnije

By K.D. Spurling (2001)

The Krim Statnije (Krimski bela Vislokrilije) is one of two breeds of Domestic Pigeons which are indigneous to Krim Isle, which lies approximately 50 miles off the Crimean Peninsula in the Black Sea. The other local breed is the Krim Tutcheresi, also known as the Krim Butterfly (Krimski Babuschki) which is the smallest member of the Tutcheresi group. Both of these breeds have remained in relative obscurity throughout history.

The Krim White, whose only color is indicated by the name "bela" is a member of the Statnije group and falls into the Vislokrilije sub-group. The term Vislokrilije has a literal Russian translation of "hanging wings" and refers to any Statnije breed with a long back that lacks a shaking neck. Other members of the Vislokrilije sub-group include the Altai Statnije, Akkerman Statnije, the Tscheljabinsk White, the Kriokovski and a dozen plus less known breeds. To many, this breed may appear identical to a white Kazan or to the Lugansk White, both of which are Trjasun breeds, but while similiar in some ways, the Krim Statnije lacks the shaking neck and has a much longer back, as well as an arched tail. In addittion to this, the Krim, as a member of the Vislokrilije sub-group is a more developed flier and performer than the Kazan or Lugansk, owing largely to its less extreme type and construction. In addition, where as the Kazan and Lugansk Trjasuni once came in many different colors, the Krim Vislokrilije occurs only in white with bull eyes. One Western writer has described "silvers" in the breed, but when examined, these so called Silver "Krims" were found to posess an entirely different body type and were much more reminiscent of a Trjasuni breed.

It is theorized that the Krim Statnije is among the oldest of all Statnije breeds and shares a direct relationship to the Takla breeds of Turkey which were brought to the southern portions of the Ukrain and Russia proper by the invading Ottomann. Despite its age, due to the breed's place of origin, the Krimski has never been widely known in Russia and is subsequently very rare outside of Krim Isle itself.

This writer's 1999 importation of two pairs from the collection of Kazys Scherbatov of Smolensk, is probaly the only importation to North America in history.