Midnight Forest Lofts

Altenburg give the Arabians a run for their money for who has the best Trumpeting ability. As you can see, this breed is bred mostly for their voice, with no ornaments to worry about. They apparently raise a lot more babies each year than the more heavily ornamented breeds. This breed is fast becoming my favorite breed of pigeon. Not only are they easy to care for, they are great to listen to for voice/trumpeting ability, they come in an array of markings and colors and they are easily tamed.

I first purchased three pair from Merle Starr in spring 2005. Merle imported 10 Altenburgs in 2000 from Germany and from these imports, as well as a few Altenburgs here in the USA that he bred into his imports.,  I bought three more very useful birds from Merle at Des Moines in December 2005. The black bar blue hen is bred from stock from the late Guenter Wenzel (whose bloodlines are still being bred by Brian Malone, Jr) and the blue check cocks are from bloodline from Steve St Clair I believe. All of the ash red/yellows are from imported birds. In fall of 2007 I acquired four more import birds from other strains thanks to John Nelson. A black, a black blue bar, a mealy and a cream. unforunately all of these birds were killed one evening by a family of racoon. I have now received 5 pair of Altenburg from Tim Starr, Merle's son. They are all barred and in Ash Red/Ash Yellow, Blue/Silver. 

Altenburger Trumpeter,
Origin,
since the 1800's bred in the Saxon-Thuringen area known as Altenburg,.
Overall impression,
a very well built Field Pigeon Type, alert, lively upright Stance, a full high forehead, clean-legged and with a very good 'Voice'.
Head,
a High, Broad Forehead, the Highest point above and before the Eyes, falling in a gentle Curve to the Hind-Skull. must NOT have a 'Stallion' Neck. Plain-Headed.
Eyes,
desired a clear Pearl Eye, Eye-Cere small and for Dark coloured birds dark, for the light colours light,.
Beak,
Medium length, dark to Black for Dark coloured Birds, light for the Light colours,
ie. Dominant Red,
White-Cap marked & Monk, dark Horn colour,. for Mealy, Mealy Cheq' and Red Schimmel, light Horn coloured,. Cream, Cream Cheq' and Yellow. Schimmel light Horn colour.
Neck,
Fairly long, not too thick , clean, curved Throat.
Breast,
Broad and well rounded but not deep.
Back,
Broad at the Shoulders, falling gently.
Wings,
Fairly Long Wings, well closed over the Back, so little of the Back is showing from above, not crossed.
Tail,
fairly long and well closed, broad tail Feathers.
Legs,
medium length, clean-legged, the Nail colour to match the Beak colour of the Bird.
Feather,
smooth but not too tight and hard feathered.
Colours,
Black, White, Red, Yellow, Dominant Red, Dominant Yellow, Blue with Black bars, or bareless, Dilute Blue with or without Dark Bars, Mealy , Erbsgelbe,( a ‘Type’ of Cream), Cream Cheq', Lark-Marked,.
Blue, Mealy and Cream Schimmel.
White Bars and White Cheq' in, Light Blue, Blue and Dilute Blue.
Muselköpfe(white flecks on the Head) with or without a Wing 'Rose'(5-10 white feathers on the Wing Butt area) in Black,.
Tigered and Pied in Black, blue, Red, Yellow, (Tiger should have coloured Primaries, Pied white or mixed colour/white).
White Caped and Monk marked in Black, Red, Yellow, Blue with White, Black Bars or bareless. Dilute Blue, Mealy, Cream, . in Cheq' Blue, Mealy and Cream.
Colour and Markings,
all colours clear and rich, Blue and Pale colours must have the Wing Coverts a clear colour not 'rusty' or uneven, Bars must be well formed and not too broad and cross the entire wing when closed.
Cheq's must have clear and sharp wing markings,
Lark marked with an Ochre colour Breast.
Erbsgelb (a ‘Type’ of Cream) with rich Yellow Neck, Breast, and Bar colour with a lighter head, Tail, and Primary Feathers (with Hen Birds a darker Head colour and Greyish Body colour is normal) Mealy as for other Mealy breeds.
Schimmel have the Bars and little or more White fleckes to the Head, Neck, Wing shield, Breast, and Body. Blue Schimmel should have Dark Bars, Primaries and Tail. Red and Yellow with bars of those colours but possible with lighter Primaries and Tail.
Blue with White Cheq', dark markings and Dilute Blue with Dark Bars and Primaries. White Bar and White Cheq' Light Blue with a clear light Blue hue, not mealy and without flecks, only the Neck with a Matte green sheen, Primaries shading to lighter colour, Tail with a light colour Bar, cheq' to have a clear Grey and White Cheqering, Hen Birds normaly a Darker colour,.
Muselköpfe (Flecked-head) and if with a Wing-Rose 5-10 White Feathers on the Wing Butt area. Tiger have a coloured Breast, Primaries and Tail, the rest a mix of white and coloured feathers.
Pied have well difined areas of White and colour, not flecks, Primaries and Tail can be either mixed or all white. (Birds must have a good amount of White).
with Cap-marked, the markings 1cm under the Eye, 7-10 Primaries are White, Body and Thigh feathers coloured.
Monk marked have the Head, Throat and under the Beak, White and a White Tail.
Faults,
too thin or small Body, to high a stance, small falt or round Head, a 'Stallion' neck(arched), to short a Beak, red Eye Iris, red or enlarged eye-Cere, 'open' Backed, (wings not well closed over the back) feathers on the Feet/legs, White back, trace of a 3rd Bar,
colour not rich or clear,.
unclear, or short bars, cheqering unclear,.
with Blue and Dilute/Light Blue, thick bars or course cheqering, unclear colour, too dark or light , mealy head colour, violette neck colour, .
badly marked Head with Cap or Monk marked and more than 2 white Primary feathers, .
Order of importance,
Balance and Breed Type, Body and Stance, Overall Preparation, Head-eye and colour, Markings.
Band size; 8