How do we read pedigrees and race results together?
A pedigree shows a bird's declared lineage. A race result, on the other hand, records performance achieved on a specific date and under specific conditions. Assessing both together is useful; seeing the name of a strong ancestor is not proof that the youngster will achieve the same success.
1. First verify the bird's identity
Compare the main bird's ring number in the document with the number entered in the system. Country, year, union and serial components vary by country. Leading zeros may be part of the number. For example, do not assume without a document that TR-26-00123 and TR-26-123 are the same bird. These numbers are explanatory examples only.
No search results does not mean the bird does not exist. The record may not have been imported yet, the document may not have been uploaded, or the ring number may be written differently. Since there may be more than one bird with the same name, a name alone is not enough to match identity.
2. Follow the boxes by their connections
The main bird's parents are two boxes; the next generation contains four, then eight lineage positions. Together with the main bird, this layout makes 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 = 15 positions. The number of positions does not have to equal the number of unique birds.
To read a line, start from the main bird: sire → sire is the sire's sire; sire → dam is the sire's dam. Whether the boxes are at the top or bottom is not enough on its own. Check the document's connecting lines and any sex markings together; designs can differ from one another.
3. The same ancestor may appear in different positions
If the parents of the main bird's sire and dam are the same two birds, these ancestors appear in two different lineage positions. Deleting one of the boxes removes a branch of the lineage. An ancestor with the same ring number may be shown in more than one position; the positions should be kept and the bird's identity assessed separately.
Repeated ancestors are important in assessing relatedness. However, do not draw a definite inbreeding coefficient or breeding success conclusion from an incomplete pedigree showing only a few generations. Older generations and correct parent links may change the calculation.
4. Read placings together with participation and conditions
A 20th place in a race does not give enough information on its own. The number of birds entered, the distance, the stage type and the race date matter. The table below is not a real race record but a comparison example.
| Example | Placing / entries | Placing ÷ entries |
|---|---|---|
| A | 20 / 100 | %20 |
| B | 20 / 2.000 | %1 |
Example B is further ahead in terms of position within the field. This simple ratio is not a performance score, a probability of winning or proof that the races were equally difficult. Ranking rules and the definition of participation may differ by source.
Separate training, hotspot, semi-final and final records. Looking at a bird's results over several distances and on different dates gives more information than focusing on a single good placing. When comparing speeds, also consider wind, route, release conditions and distance; raw speeds are not directly comparable between races.
5. Treat a missing box and a missing result differently
A ring number that cannot be read in the document may remain blank in the scan draft. Compare with the original document and correct it before saving; do not guess a number you do not know. Missing information is not evidence of a bird's identity or parentage. You can complete documents that belong to you later using the available editing options.
A success description on a pedigree and a source race record are different kinds of evidence. Read the uploader's declaration separately from the bird's own race result. Do not treat an ancestor's success as a placing won by the main bird.
There may be a transfer delay between the source and our site for live results. Ranking corrections or late records may change totals. Equal result counts in both places do not on their own prove that all bird identities are exactly the same.
6. Check visibility before sharing your document
Check the breeder name, loft name, photo and contact details to be shown on the pedigree output in your profile and output options. When a PDF or image you share reaches the other party, the information visible in the file is shared too.
Read the on-screen confirmation when creating a QR share. Sharing a bird's data and giving access to a user account are different things; do not share your account password. When uploading someone else's document, make sure you are authorised to share it.
Data sources and correction method · Bird archive · Live races