[1] Carriers, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons, are all descendants of the rock dove (Columba livia).

[2] The largest of the flying pigeon breeds, the Old English Carrier was originally used for sending messages.

[4] Charles Darwin wrote of the Carrier in The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication, "This is a fine bird, of large size, close feathered, generally dark–coloured, with an elongated neck".

They have a slender neck which should appear long in proportion to the rest of the bird and the legs should be solid, with no feathering below the knees.

[6] The English Carrier has typically deep red eyes, and a distinctive wattle which should be large but firm with a rounded shape and a powdery white finish on the surface.