The Scandaroon is a tall breed of fancy pigeon and has a most distinct beak which is very long and curved downwards and a very striking red eye cere. Darwin called them Scandaroon Runts and they caught his attention. The breed in Victorian England was always, as today, in very few hands and it was said they came from the port of Scandaroon in the Levant, however the breed origin is most likely to be ancient Persia. Scandaroon is the Turkish word for Alexander and it is possible that the breed being very ancient was used as a message carrier by Alexander the Great in his conquests over the old world areas. The old world is strongly associated with early pigeon breeds.
 
The Scandaroon has been used in crosses with several other breeds to improve and alter them, such as the Magpie which was a much smaller bird in Darwin's time. I have handled one of his own Magpie specimens in the Tring Natural History collection.

Despite what seems an ungainly beak the Scandaroon is a most attentive and capable parent. Although at first glance the breed is somewhat ugly, they are calm, quiet, intelligent and interesting pigeons to study. Darwin was disappointed when he lost a hen of his pair to illness.
 
Colours include selfs in white, black, blue, red and yellow as well as others however the show birds have become the pied version with white head and coloured patch under the beak, mainly white wings and coloured tail.