Adana is mainly raised in the Çukurova valley of Turkey and it is origin is this area. Like other breeds in time, it has been raised in different regions also. In these areas, because of the different breeding styles, it has been developed into sub-breeds. Another words, new qualities have been adapted to this breed in different regions.

Known with different colors and sizes, this breed, besides the local breed differences, carries same characteristics throughout this region.  High and fast flight, 2 or 3 bird squadrons and the speedy dive is their main characteristics.
Most important qualities the breeders look for are the high flying and extremely fast diving in this breed. In average they will stay in the air for about 10 to 15 minutes. Go up around 200 yards and make a complete dive with out stops with a speed of 130 Km. per hour. Their life expectancy is 11 to 13 years but, performance life is 8 to 9 years in total.
General Information:
They are trained at 2 to 3 months and paired after 7 months old. Male birds are considered to be ideal for flight but females also can be as good. For quality flight and high performance these birds are allowed to feed young only 1 or 2 times in their life time.  Any more parenting effect their performance in a negative way.  They are kept in small boxes called dolap, where only two birds can fit and  wireless doors closed at nights.

Detailed information:
There are two types of Adanas exist; one with a short beak "Töme" and the other with a long beak "tartaç". Tartaç  is mainly preferred by the breeders of Adana and Ceyhan regions. Töme is mostly seen in the Tarsus region. In the area of Mersin both types can be found in same frequency.

There are two flight periods for this breed; egg and courting.  Egg is when the birds are on eggs (which are taken away from them after 10 to 12 days) and this is a normal performance period.
Courting period is the time when the male bird is most interested in its mate. In this time period, flight and the performance done in a way to showcase all the special qualities of this breed.
Strait dive and scissoring dive are the two types of dives for the Adana dewlaps.
Strait dive is mainly seen in the Adana region and the Scissoring div in the Mersin.
In a strait dive the bird sees the dropper call and dives like frozen (almost like rock, with wings clamped to its body).
In a scissoring dive the birds flown in a kit of two or three respond to the dropper by the leader diving strait and the follower(s) in a flying motion. At times, the leader also has to flap it is wings to stay ahead of the squadron. 

Because of the flying motion the birds dive in, this type of dive (scissoring) is the fastest of all diving breeds.
These birds are let to breed in the spring or summer. Their young is disciplined and trained by a trustworthy bird that is selected out of the squadrons.  Training is done in order of strengthening the wings, breathing (used to describe lung capacity for speedy flight), two or three bird squadron kiting, high flying and finally diving.

After this the birds are seperated as leader or followers and start their incredible flight careers.

Resit Serhat Askin
Mersin / Turkey

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