Like the legs of a race horse, the wings of a racing pigeon are vital to its performance. But each year nature tells a pigeon to change all its feathers and grow new wing flights.

The goal of any pigeon trainer is to make sure that this feather growth does not affect his bird's aerodynamic integrity. And the timing of the stressful molt is also a factor in each bird’s overall health and stamina. "The Dark & The Light" explains how some of the world's leading pigeon trainers are using the power of daylight to control their pigeon's molt and ensure their birds are in perfect feather during the summer racing season.

This film explains when and why pigeons molt and also visits top pigeon fanciers who use either the "Dark" system or the "Light" system with their pigeons. The film follows these fanciers step-by-step as they plan their season and adjust light levels to either stimulate or retard the molting process. Light management is one of the most significant natural developments in the 150–year history of pigeon racing. By carefully controlling daylight a trainer can now dramatically reduce the stress of molting on his team of pigeons, while ensuring each bird has a full wing exactly when they need it most. That is the moment when they leave the release crates at the start of their race to get home.

Run time: 1 hr 15 min