Taganrog Tumblers

Known as the "Rastov Tchilik" breed in its native Russia the Taganrog Tumbler is becoming increasingly available in the USA. The name "Taganrog" was applied in the West when these birds were first imported from Taganrog, Russia to Hungary in the 1970s.

Standard Summary

Known as a "posture tumbler" this bird should be small ("Tchilik" translates as "Little bird"), wide chested, and tail carried high. There currently is no specialty club in the USA focusing on this breed but it is listed with the Rare Breeds Club. The tail should have 14 to 20 feathers and the only color found in the wing shield (with 7 to 12 white flights.) Acceptable colors are red, yellow, blue (bar), and black. A colored forehead snip may be present. Grave faults include incorrect feather counts, poor color, long body, and an excessive or loose tail. Also color anywhere other than the wing shield should be avoided at all costs. The white in the wing shield of the bird pictured below would be considered a grave fault.

Traits

The Taganrog Tumbler is a neck-shaker which often gives it a "nervous" appearance but these little birds are outgoing and quite courageous! Their beaks seem to upturn into a little smile which suits their personality just fine. They can fly and do tumble a bit in flight but their conformation certainly puts them firmly in the show cage and not in the sky. They are known to care for their young but are not the "super feeders" that homers are.