ORIGIN: Spain, in the 16th century.
OVERALL IMPRESSION: This is a medium sized clean legged pouter. It is distinguished by its unique head shape which is ramish or almond shaped; the beak is short and "Roman nosed~'. It has a well developed hanging pear shaped crop which ends in a fold or collar on the back called the "gorguera". Cocks of this breed have tremendous seducing abilities. They will coo and actually seduce hens with their deep voices without picking or beating them. In flight, the Gorguero slightly lifts up its head and arches its tail upwards. If other pigeons are encountered while it is flying it will position itself in front of them guiding them to its home.
BREED CHARACTERISTICS
HEAD: Curved lines, great and large and often referred to as being ram headed or almond shaped. The beak wattles are well developed in adults, but they should not be soft or loose. They start smaller at the base of the beak and get larger as they go forward without detracting from the curved head shape. They should never grow together. The beak wattles are a powdery white. Under the lower mandible of the beak there are three waffles which are round, well defined, with the two outside wattles being of equal size and the center one larger. The eye is set back in the head and appears alert and defiant due to the deep mby color. Eye ceres should be fine and corresponding in color to the plumage. Adult birds have a little more eye cere due to age, but the ceres are never excessively coarse.
NECK AND CROP: The neck is large and long forming a "tirilla" or dewlap under the beak. This crease should never be parted as in the Rafeno. The crop comes off the dewlap in an even pear shape with two hollows or voids by the wing butts. The crop should be large and well formed in adult birds but never so large and pendulous that it drags on the ground. In back of the crop as it falls towards the shoulders the feathering and shape should form a collar or "gorguera".
BODY: Medium sized, a little over % pound. Proportionately high standing with a wide short wedge shape. The chest is wide and deep to maintain a well formed crop.
WINGS: Shorter than expected, wide, thick, and strong. They should be well formed and lay flat on the trail. It is highly desirable that they have 11-12 primary flights.
TAIL: Short and wide and flat without over exaggerating and straight. Tail feathers well grouped together. It is highly desirable that tail feathers number from 12 to 16.
LEGS AND FEET: Fairly long legs, strong and with adequate spacing b~tween them. Leg color purple, with brilliant scales and absolutely free of feathering.
PLUMAGE AND COLOR: Feathers soft to the touch and free of powder. Feather on the crop is loose, but the feather on the rest of the body is tight. Colors accepted are: blue bar; blue bar ticked; ash red in bar, check, and spread; grizzle; black spread and faded; self white. White feathers in colored birds not permitted.
FAULTS: Weak head; carrier like head; gigantic eye ceres; long pointed beak; narrow body; extreme crop development so that the crop constantly drags the ground; weak wings; feathered legs; lack of collar; lack of crop; highly inflated crop; and vermin and disease infested. These faults are undesirable and constitute disqualification.