PigeonVaultHow to digitise paper pigeon pedigrees
Many fanciers have dozens or hundreds of pedigrees in folders, drawers and boxes. They are valuable, but fragile and hard to find. Digitising them solves that. There are three ways to do it, each with pros and cons.
Why digitise?
- Nothing gets lost. Paper fades, tears, gets wet or goes missing. A digital copy stays.
- You can find everything. Searching by ring number or name is quicker than leafing through folders.
- Sharing is quicker. A buyer or breeding partner gets a PDF or a link, without copying or rewriting.
- You see connections. With your pedigrees in digital form, you see which pigeons keep coming back.
Option 1: scan or photograph into a folder
The simplest step: scan or photograph every pedigree and put the files in a folder on your computer or in the cloud. Name each file after the ring number so you can find it again.
The drawback: it stays a picture. You cannot search for a grandsire, change anything or make a new pedigree without retyping everything.
Option 2: retype into a program
Retyping the details into Excel or pedigree software does give you searchable data. But a four-generation pedigree holds 15 pigeons, each with a ring number, colour and results. That is a lot of typing per pedigree, and every retyped digit is a chance for a mistake.
Option 3: have it read with text recognition
With text recognition (OCR) and AI, a program reads a photo of a pedigree: names, ring numbers, colours and results land in the right place in the tree. You only check and correct what was not read properly.
This is how it works in PigeonVault's pedigree scanner: you upload a photo or PDF (JPG, PNG, HEIC or PDF), the pedigree is read and you see it straight away as a tree. Tap a box to correct something. Then download it as a PDF or share it with a link.
How to take a photo that reads well
- Lay the pedigree flat on a table, with no folds or creases.
- Use daylight or an even lamp, and avoid the shadow of your phone or hand.
- Hold your phone straight above the sheet, not at an angle.
- Get the whole sheet in the picture, with a small margin around it.
- Check that the photo is sharp: zoom in on a ring number before you use it.
Keep the original
Even once digitised, the original pedigree stays valuable, especially if it is handwritten or signed. Keep it dry and flat, for example in a folder with plastic sleeves. Also read how to read a pigeon pedigree and how to make one yourself.