ATOP his humble wooden dovecote overlooking the majestic Giza pyramids, Abdel-Rahman Gamal released 20 homing pigeons sending them soaring up into the Cairo sky reddened by the setting sun.
"It's a lovely hobby that keeps you busy while you're at home and keeps you on the straight and narrow," said Gamal, 30, who has been raising pigeons since he was six.
He told AFP he inherited his deep love for pigeons from his grandfather and uncle.
Along with his younger brother Omar, 28, they keep about 40 pigeons on the roof of their family building in Nazlet al-Samman, in western Cairo.
Ahmed Khalifa, head of the Egyptian Federation for Homing Pigeons, said the ancient tradition dates back to the time of the pharaohs.
"Pigeons were engraved on the walls of temples," he said.
Handed down through the generations, the practice of domesticating pigeons stretches across borders from the banks of the Nile across north Africa and beyond, with people not only training birds for competitions, but also serving them up as a dining delicacy.
- Sky-high prizes -
Neither regional instability nor the Covid-19 pandemic have dampened enthusiasm for keeping the birds and popular pigeon races still draw crowds.
In war-torn Syria, the battered economy has forced some pigeon fanciers to sell their precious birds to make ends meet.
Markets for breeders have sprung up in refugee camps in rebel-held northwestern Idlib, while races still attract ardent fans seeking a respite from the conflict, an AFP reporter said.
In Yemen where a six-year deadly civil war has left the country on the brink of famine, according to the UN, pigeon races were still being held last year.
And in Iraq, where breeders were once viewed as immoral or unreliable, the practice has taken flight again in recent years.
At auction, racing pigeons can fetch from tens of dollars to several thousands for the most prized, and one Iraqi feathered friend was sold in recent years for an eye-popping $180,000.
The pandemic however has forced a temporary pause in competitions in Morocco.
"We hope that they come back this year," said Salaheddine Khannouss, deputy head of the kingdom's national organisation for pigeon racing.
Racing pigeons can reach speeds of up to 100 kilometres (60 miles) per hour and can cover distances of hundreds of kilometres, the Egyptian Federation's Khalifa said.
The body organises two major contests annually, with one race from Cairo to Salloum, near the Libyan border, a distance of about 600 kilometres, and a second from the capital to Aswan deep in Egypt's south over 700 kilometres away.
- 'Pigeon wars' -
Dotted around the rooftops of Cairo's greying buildings are colourfully painted dovecotes known as gheya in Arabic which provide huge shelters to house pigeon nests.
In daily ad-hoc contests involving thousands of birds launched from the rooftops, fanciers try to poach each other's pets to add to their own flock in a fierce competition which can net prizes of up to $160,000.
Gamal's family mark their pigeons with rings attached to their feet carrying their date of birth, and his name and contact details.
"If a rogue pigeon flies down to me, it's mine. It's my hostage," Gamal said. In the coming days his rival fancier will try either to win back the lost pigeon or fork out a 'ransom' for it.
Gamal said he pays between $1 to $65 for each of his birds, depending on their breed, their feather colour and their racing stamina.
Younger brother Omar prefers to focus on the competitive aspect of keeping birds.
"Pigeons are like soccer players when they enter the pitch and I'm their coach," he joked.
- Delicious grilled or stuffed -
Others prefer a more culinary experience when it comes to pigeons, opting for stuffed or grilled choices served up in dishes from Morocco to the Gulf.
In Egypt, rice or freek (a green grain made from wheat) is masterfully stuffed into the birds' diminutive bodies.
At Farahat, one of the most popular Cairo chains specialising in pigeon fare, diners jostle for seats, with hungry male customers salivating over the tiny delight believed to possess other benefits.
"Since the dawn of time, Egyptians have believed that pigeons give them vigour for performing on their wedding night," said restaurant manager Khaled Ali mischievously.
But at 70 Egyptian pounds ($4.50) it's an expensive treat "for those who do not have the means".
Regular customer Jordanian medical student Bashar al-Malkawi said: "Eating stuffed pigeon is the best way to embrace Cairo."
But Omar, the Cairo pigeon fancier, does not have the stomach for such notions.
"If you love pigeons, you can't eat them. They just won't taste any good," he declared.
ETX Studio
Mon Mar 15 2021
Pigeons fly in the sky above the Egyptian capital's twin city of Giza. ETXStudiopic
AWANI 7:45 [27/04/2024] - Siasatan sama ada Tun M salah guna kuasa | Jangkaan persaingan sengit | FFC umum tangguh misi | Mesyuarat khas dua hari
#AWANI745 malam ini bersama Dzulfitri Yusof;
1. Mokhzani dan Mirzan nafi disiasat SPRM
2. Pertandingan empat penjuru, PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu
3. Freedom Flotilla To Gaza ditangguh, delegasi dunia pulang
4. Mesyuarat Khas WEF berlangsung di Arab Saudi, ketika suhu geopolitik semakin panas
1. Mokhzani dan Mirzan nafi disiasat SPRM
2. Pertandingan empat penjuru, PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu
3. Freedom Flotilla To Gaza ditangguh, delegasi dunia pulang
4. Mesyuarat Khas WEF berlangsung di Arab Saudi, ketika suhu geopolitik semakin panas
Budak lima tahun cedera jatuh dari tingkat tiga flat
Seorang kanak-kanak perempuan berusia lima tahun cedera selepas dipercayai terjatuh dari tingkat tiga rumahnya di Flat Taman College Height pada Sabtu.
AWANI Ringkas: Kasino di Forest City
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Hamas sudah terima maklum balas Israel mengenai cadangan gencatan senjata
Gesaan dari seluruh dunia untuk satu gencatan senjata semakin meningkat dengan serangan ke atas Gaza kini memasuki bulan ketujuh.
World Economic Forum berbeza dari kelaziman
Lazimnya World Economic Forum (WEF) akan berlangsung setiap musim sejuk di Davos, Switzerland, lokasi lahirnya forum berprestij dunia ini sejak lebih lebih dekad lalu.
Dalam tempoh kira-kira tiga bulan, WEF keluar dari kelazimannya dengan menganjurkan mesyuarat khas dua hari, 28 hingga 29 April 2024 di Riyadh, Arab Saudi.
Ia memberi isyarat, kepentingan kestabilan rantau Asia Barat atau timur tengah ini, bukan perakara main-main.
#AWANI745
Dalam tempoh kira-kira tiga bulan, WEF keluar dari kelazimannya dengan menganjurkan mesyuarat khas dua hari, 28 hingga 29 April 2024 di Riyadh, Arab Saudi.
Ia memberi isyarat, kepentingan kestabilan rantau Asia Barat atau timur tengah ini, bukan perakara main-main.
#AWANI745
Pemain Astro Kem Badminton 2024 berpeluang berlatih di bawah jurulatih BAM
Wan Wah menjelaskan pemain-pemain yang dipilih akan menjalani latihan intensif itu di Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM).
#AWANI745
#AWANI745
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Pengundi perlu pilih kestabilan - Fadillah
Fadillah berkata beliau percaya pengundi di kawasan tersebut, boleh membuat keputusan terbaik untuk menentukan calon paling layak untuk mewakili mereka.
Liga Parlimen Al-Quds: Malaysia gesa satu resolusi penyelesaian isu Palestin dapat dicapai
Malaysia antara lain mendesak Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) meluluskan resolusi menghantar tentera pengaman ke Palestin.
Palestin perlukan 14 tahun untuk dibangunkan semula
Jumlah besar runtuhan akibat serangan dilakukan tentera Israel di Semenanjung Gaza mengambil tempoh sekurang-kurangnya 14 tahun untuk dibersihkan.
#AWANI745
#AWANI745
Delegasi seluruh dunia pulang selepas misi ditangguh
Delegasi seluruh dunia dan Malaysia dijangka bergerak pulang ke negara masing-masing dalam waktu terdekat.
Ia selepas Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) mengumumkan penangguhan terbaharu misi Break the Siege Freedom Flotilla to Gaza pada Sabtu.
Rakan setugas Syaff Shukri dan jurukamera Ab Uzza Ab Latiff ada perinciannya.
#AWANI745
Ia selepas Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) mengumumkan penangguhan terbaharu misi Break the Siege Freedom Flotilla to Gaza pada Sabtu.
Rakan setugas Syaff Shukri dan jurukamera Ab Uzza Ab Latiff ada perinciannya.
#AWANI745