Beijing breeders keep tradition of whistling wings, ornamental and racing birds alive

　　Pigeons are released into the sky over Tian"anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 3, 2025. China held a grand gathering to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People"s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. WU GANG/XINHUA

　　In his 1934 essay Autumn in Peiping, writer Yu Dafu described sitting in a courtyard on an autumn morning, looking up at the blue sky and hearing "the sound of domesticated pigeons flying overhead" — part of the unhurried, peaceful rhythm of everyday life in Beijing.

　　Nearly a century later, pigeons are still a defining characteristic of some areas of the city"s skyline.