Pigeons and other messenger birds have been used to send messages for thousands of years. Carrier pigeons were used as early as 1150 BC in Egypt and later by the Romans. They’ve been used in times of war to send vital information between troops when other methods of communication weren’t available. Even today, pigeons are still bred and trained for racing and carrying messages. But how do these amazing birds know exactly where to fly when released with a message?
There are a few key factors that enable messenger birds to reliably find their destination every time:
Their natural homing ability
Messenger birds like homing pigeons have a natural ability to find their way home over extremely long distances. Scientists believe this homing ability is based on the bird’s specialized sensory abilities and instincts. When taken to a new place, they are able to sense the direction and distance back home, similar to a built-in GPS system.
Some theories suggest that birds may use a combination of cues to determine their location and the direction home. These cues can include:
- The sun – Messenger birds may be able to sense the position of the sun and determine compass directions.
- Earth’s magnetic field – Birds contain deposits of magnetite in their beaks and neck muscles that may allow them to detect magnetic fields and use them for orientation.
- Landscape cues – Birds remember and recognize local landmarks, rivers, mountains, etc to navigate.
- Smell – Birds may be able to smell chemical cues like plant odors or pollution from their nesting area.
While the exact mechanisms are still debated, experiments have shown that messenger birds rely on a combination of these cues to find their way home with incredible accuracy. Even when released at unfamiliar sites hundreds of miles away, they are able to determine the direction back to their loft.
Training
In addition to their natural homing ability, messenger birds are specially trained to fly home. Training starts when the birds are young by taking them further and further distances away from their home loft and releasing them to fly home. This allows them to imprint on their home location and get familiar with local landmarks at greater distances.
Some specialized training techniques include:
- Tossing the bird at gradually increasing distances from the loft.
- Releasing the birds in different directions around their home.
- Using simulated races with other lofts to motivate them to return quickly.
- Placing them in crates or bags to disorient them before release.
This training imprints the landscape around the home loft in the birds’ memory. It teaches them to orient themselves when released and builds their endurance for long flights. Fanciers and pigeon racing enthusiasts even carefully breed messenger pigeons for traits like intelligence and homing ability that make training easier.
Motivation to return home
Messenger pigeons will naturally want to return to their home loft and mates after being released. However, pigeon keepers use various techniques to increase their motivation:
- They only house birds at their home loft, never at the release point. This ensures the birds associate their home loft with food, water, and their mates.
- Setting up a comfortable home with fresh food, water and nest box access motivates the birds to return quickly.
- Allowing birds to raise squeakers (young) that require feeding further motivates them to return.
- Using a consistent food call/whistle when feeding that the birds associate with their home loft and handler.
The birds are very motivated to get back to their home and Normal routine as quickly as possible. This ensures they make a beeline for their loft when released instead of lingering at the release point. Proper motivation is key to training messenger pigeons for reliable performance.
How Messenger Pigeons Deliver Messages
So how do pigeons physically carry and deliver written messages between locations? There are a few methods that have been used over the years:
Message Capsules
One common technique is to place written messages inside a small capsule or cylinder attached to the bird’s leg. These capsules are lightweight aluminum or plastic tubes with a screw top to protect the paper message inside. Once the bird arrives home, the handler removes and opens the capsule to retrieve the note.
Different sized capsules can be used depending on the length of the message. Capsules are securely attached to a band or strap on the bird’s leg to prevent loss during the flight. Using message capsules allows carrier pigeons to transport written communication without needing to train them to enter lofts or houses at the destination.
Pouches
An alternative is to place messages in a fabric pouch or bag attached around the pigeon’s neck. These lightweight pouches hang below the bird’s beak for balance. The pouches can carry larger folded messages and maps compared to small capsules on the leg.
Velcro, elastic, or neck straps are used to secure the bag on the bird during flight. Once home, the handler removes the entire pouch to retrieve the contents. Pigeons transporting messages in pouches may be trained to enter specific lofts or pigeon holes at their home base.
Note attachments
Carrier pigeons have also carried messages attached directly to their bodies or feathers. Historically, written notes were tied directly to a bird’s legs or wings using string or thread. However, this method has disadvantages:
- Notes attached this way could be lost or damaged during the flight.
- The bird must be caught and handled at the destination to retrieve the note, which is more disruptive.
- Larger messages can’t be carried this way.
But attaching small urgent messages directly to the bird was sometimes necessary in places like the battlefield where pigeon lofts or capsules weren’t available.
Famous Examples of Messenger Pigeons
Carrier pigeons have saved lives and impacted the outcomes of battles through their messaging capabilities throughout history. Some famous messenger pigeons include:
Cher Ami
Cher Ami was a homing pigeon used to carry messages by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in France during World War l. In October 1918, Major Whittlesey and over 500 U.S. soldiers were trapped behind enemy lines with no way to communicate with allied forces. They released Cher Ami carrying a desperate message for assistance. During the flight through heavy fire, Cher Ami was shot in the chest and blinded but continued the 25-mile flight in just 25 minutes. Because of Cher Ami’s successful message delivery, 194 men were rescued. She was awarded the Croix de Guerre medal with palm for her heroic flight.
Winkie
Winkie was a pigeon serving with the British Royal Air Force during World War ll. In February 1942, a Beaufort bomber plane ditched into the North Sea after getting lost returning from a mission. The crew set Winkie loose from the plane with a note confirming their ditch location before the plane sank. After flying over 120 miles back to base with this vital intelligence, RAF crews were able to calculate the position and launch a successful rescue operation. All crew members survived their 30 hours adrift at sea thanks to Winkie’s bravery under fire.
G.l. Joe
G.I. Joe was a blue checkered giant homing pigeon owned by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in World War ll. In October 1943, the British 56th Infantry Brigade was making an advance against German forces near the Italian town of Calvi Vecchia. American bombers were scheduled to assist the Allied advance with strategic strikes. However, the British ground troops had advanced further than planned. G.I. Joe was released by the troops on the ground with an urgent message to call off the bombing. G.I. Joe flew 20 miles in just 20 minutes to deliver the message that saved over 1,000 British troops from being bombed by friendly fire.
Modern Use of Homing Pigeons
While more advanced telecommunication systems have largely replaced the role of messenger pigeons in the military and for general communication, pigeons are still a useful method of sending messages in some situations:
Racing and competitions
Homing pigeon racing remains a popular hobby and competitive sport. Special breeds such as Thoroughbred English Carriers are bred and trained for endurance and navigation ability in these challenging races of distances up to 600 miles.
Remote areas
In remote locations without phones or Internet, trained pigeons can still be an effective way to send information between two sites. This could include reporting weather observations, sending supply orders, or sharing data between research camps. They offer reliable same-day communication without any infrastructure.
Back-up communication
Military and governmental agencies may still maintain lofts of trained pigeons for emergency back-up communication if normal systems like radio are disrupted. Pigeons have proven extremely reliable when other methods are jammed or rendered inoperative in times of war. Lofts allow messages to be dispatched and received entirely “off the grid.”
Symbolic and ceremonial use
Homing pigeons may be released for symbolic purposes at public events or funerals to represent peace or freedom. Their innate navigation abilities will bring them safely home after being set free. For example, doves or white homing pigeons are sometimes released at memorials or military tributes.
Conclusion
Messenger birds like carrier pigeons have the remarkable ability to fly long distances to accurately return home from unfamiliar release points. This reliable skill has been honed through selective breeding and specialized training techniques over thousands of years. Pigeons have used the sun, magnetic fields, and landscape cues to galvanize locations and navigate even when injured. Their motivation to return home to food, water and mates ensures they quickly return with messages. Though less vital today, homing pigeons still provide a foolproof method of two-way communication without any infrastructure requirements. The amazing capacity of messenger birds will continue to capture our imagination.