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REHANI, AZRAK KATIFA AND ASFAR STANDARDS

Translated by Adel Salem

Head: 20% 

Small head with prominent and round frontal. The frontal is broad, elevated and protruded. The frontal gradually slopes down and looses its roundness. The top of the skull is rather flat. The head appears square-like as viewed side ways.

Beak and beak settings: 10%

 its appearance is said to resemble a grain of wheat due to its short and small size. In that the upper mandible is pinched and fine at both ends. It has a triangular shape as looked upon from the top. 

The beak color ranges from white in the white and yellow birds to dark, but not black in the black birds.

Wattle: 5% the wattle is reduced, minute, smooth, and free from any coarseness.

Eyes: 10% 

Large, wide and alert eyes with ruby red to orange Iris. The inner lining of the Iris that surrounds the pupil has an orange color. The eye lid is smooth and colorless except for the Black group which show grey reddish tan to it.

Neck: 5%

 stout and short, blending tightly with a long concave back and a broad chest. The neck is noticeably arched in many birds of this group. The back of the neck is a fluffed and rich in feather.

Flights and tail: 5% 

folding and resting above the tail; however they display below the tail in many birds. Wing tips are reaching or even longer than the tail.

Legs and feet: 5% 

Legs noticeably short and small and free from feathers below the hock. Toes are small and well spread apart with bright red colors. The Yellow and almond Rehani have white toenails. The black Rehani has black toenails.

Appearance, stance and size: 15% 

The show bird has small and long narrow body with short legs. This appearance dubbed the entire family the Swifts after the "Chimney Swift". The back is broad and steep (concave), showing no humps. This molding gives rise in many Egyptian Swifts. 
They have an erected stance but low station. The skeleton system of this group is rather small and delicate as it reflects also on a small skull. 
the average length is about 12 inches from front of breast to tip of tail. They have a delicate skeletal structure and are considered to be feathery birds. They average between 10 to 11 Ounces (300 to 320 Grams or less than half a pound).

Colors: 25% 

Male Black Rehanis are characterized with rich golden color starting at the throat and extending to the chest and the mane area. The rest of the body and the skull-head area are jet black with green luster. Yellow birds have white eyes, beaks and toenails. Their feathers should not contain any specks of any color.

The Rehani colors and sub-groups: 
This group shows a combination of several recessive colors that are collectively present in one bird. The group in general has a small and delicate skeleton structure that carry a mass of long feathers. I will list their from darkest to the lightest: 

Black Rehani: The darkest of these sub groups and the most respectable of them all along with the White version of because of their supreme purity. Must express a black beetle sheen otherwise should not be considered pure black. The smooth golden feathers under the lower mandible is usually interrupted by a longitudinal streak of black beetle color feathers (tie-like) that stretches to the lower part of the chest. 
Blue Velvets(Azrak Katifa): A dark blue bird showing blue body with bars only on the tail. The skull is dark blue. The chest and the upper body are of golden color. 
Mawardy: a recessive yellow with a light apricot color. Showing no shades of gray, redness or any flicking of any color in any part of the body feathers. All flights and tail feathers are white. The Iris has orange color and the pupil periphery is pale yellow. 
kah-wanky: Recessive Yellow, to copper opal light spread color. The Iris has orange color and the pupil periphery is pale yellow. Beaks must be light. 
Asfar Kamoney: a white bird with a slight yellow tan on the body and neck. The Iris color of the eye is pearl and the pupil's periphery is ruby in color.

Asfar Waraka: Is the lightest of these sub groups. White bird with a splash of creme color spread over the entire body and appear denser over the neck in some birds. White pearl eye is desired in this sub group, but many show bull eyes. Orange eyes. Beaks are also ivory white with no specks. 
Regardless to the color uniformity, big birds with powerful heads and thick beaks must not be bred for and should be disqualified at the show. Long necks and legs for the purpose of breeding birds with high station is breeding in the wrong direction and comes as a result of crossing the Rehanis with Blue velvets (Azrak Katifa). Loose feathers are hard to eliminate totally in this group as might be evidenced by wing feathers far from each other and excessive fluffed feathers. 
Thick and coarse wattle and eye cere, regardless to the age. Non-conforming colors, such as bronze streaks on a Black Rehani or Blue specks on a Yellow bird.

Disqualification: any obvious cross breeding as indicated from an unusual head shape, beak setting, color, high station. Missing tail or primary feathers.

I would like to add that Gazagandy is a cross breed of any of the darker above sub groups and Otatis to make a stronger flying bird and considered a mixed and not pure bird.

References: 
Translated from the book of standards 1996. ISBN 977-19-0924. Prepared for publication by Mohamed Gab Allah 
Drawing by Dr Mohamed Khater 
Other books used; the pigeon, Levi 
The international pigeon standards. 15th edition

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