Yes, birds have been used as messengers throughout history. Carrier pigeons are perhaps the most well-known example, but other birds have also been used to send messages over distances. Using birds to deliver messages dates back thousands of years and was an important early form of communication.
When Were Birds First Used to Deliver Messages?
The earliest recorded use of messenger birds was over 3,000 years ago in ancient Egypt and Persia. Egyptian pharaohs used messenger pigeons to communicate with distant provinces as early as 1,200 BC. Similarly, pigeons were part of an elaborate communications network established in ancient Persia around the 6th century BC. Carrier pigeons were housed in towers along major roads and kept on hand to rapidly send messages across the empire.
The ancient Greeks and Romans continued using pigeons as messengers. Greeks conveyed the names of Olympic game winners to cities by pigeon post. In Roman times, results of chariot races were sent back to Rome via carrier pigeon. Julius Caesar reportedly used pigeons during his conquest of Gaul in the 1st century BC. He sent messages back and forth from his headquarters to Rome.
Carrier Pigeons in the Middle Ages and Renaissance
In the 12th and 13th centuries AD, messenger pigeons were widely used by Crusaders. They helped coordinate military operations and maintain contact between Crusader states and Europe. The Arabs also used carrier pigeons extensively during this time.
By the Renaissance, pigeon messengers were an established institution in Europe. They delivered handwritten notes between towns and cities. The Rothschild banking family was the first to realize the investment potential of this method of fast communication in the financial sector. They contributed to a continent-wide pigeon post network in the early 19th century.
The Heyday of Pigeon Messengers
Carrier pigeons reached the peak of their popularity during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Here are some key events and uses:
- They played a vital role in military communication during wartime. France, Germany, Britain and the U.S. all had specialized pigeon corps. Messenger pigeons relayed information across enemy lines and between occupied regions and headquarters.
- Paul Reuter started the Reuters news agency in the 1840s using a fleet of 45 pigeons to deliver stock market quotes between Brussels and Aachen, Germany.
- Pigeons were widely used by newspapers to report local events. Reuters began a pigeon news service in Europe in the 1850s.
- Police forces and fire departments dispatched pigeons from the scenes of fires and crimes. They carried news back to headquarters.
- Carrier pigeons delivered messages between ships at sea. They were released by one ship and carried requests for supplies, enemy ship sightings, and other news.
- In 1896, 1,800 pigeons were released from Nantes to report on progress in the Paris to Brest yacht race. One named Davidson returned to England three days before the winning yacht.
- During World War I, mobile pigeon lofts were deployed behind the front lines. Pigeons provided vital intelligence from the battlefield when telegraph lines were cut.
The Dickin Medal for animal bravery has been awarded to 32 pigeons for their wartime service.
Racing Pigeons
Selectively bred racing or homing pigeons were used to carry messages over long distances starting in the 19th century. Their homing ability allowed them to return to their lofts from hundreds of miles away.
Some key facts about racing pigeons:
- Charles Darwin studied their instinct to return home and described them as “aerial living compasses.”
- The sport of pigeon racing developed. Competitions measured which pigeon returned home from a distant release point in the fastest time.
- During World War II, British intelligence dropped homing pigeons in occupied France to have resistance fighters send information back to England.
- Today, pigeon races are still popular in some parts of the world, though not for sending important messages.
Famous Messenger Pigeons
Here are some of the most celebrated messenger pigeons:
| Name | Feat |
|---|---|
| Cher Ami | Delivered 12 critical messages in World War I while under heavy fire. Helped rescue the Lost Battalion of the 77th Infantry Division in France. |
| G.I. Joe | Saved a village in Italy from an Allied bombing in World War II by delivering a message just in time to call off the attack. |
| Mary of Exeter | In September 1940, became the first pigeon to carry microfilm, flying from France to England with intelligence hidden in a leg canister. |
| Paddy | Carried the first news of D-Day landings from France to England in June 1944. |
| William of Orange | First pigeon to arrive back in England with news of the outcome of the 1815 Battle of Waterloo, relaying Napoleon’s defeat. |
Decline of Military Use
The role of pigeons in carrying military messages declined in the 20th century due to the invention of radio, telegraph, and improved cryptography. Here are some key moments:
- The U.S. Army Signal Corps retired its last pigeon from service in 1957.
- The CIA stopped using pigeon photography in the 1970s after the development of spy satellites.
- The Swiss Army disbanded its pigeon service in 1996 as electronic alternatives became available.
- The Indian Air Force ended pigeon mail service in 2004.
- The Chinese People’s Liberation Army retired carrier pigeons from military service in 2011.
Despite their decline, pigeons continued to be awarded honors like the Dickin Medal for their wartime contributions even in the 21st century.
Messenger Pigeons vs. Other Birds
While pigeons were the most common messenger bird, others have been used too:
| Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Homing pigeons | Selectively bred to find their way home over extremely long distances. Perfect record for reliable message delivery. |
| Ravens | Used by Arabs to carry messages. Faster than pigeons but less reliable. |
| Gulls | Used by the British navy to convey messages from ship to shore. |
| Swallows | Mentioned by Greek writers for carrying messages from Athens to the outlying provinces. |
| Albatross | Used by sailors to carry notes to shore though not trained messenger birds. |
Pigeons had key advantages that made them the messenger bird of choice historically:
- Homing instinct allows them to return over vast distances.
- Small size allows carrying messages undetected.
- Very fast in flight at over 50 miles per hour.
- Lower maintenance than larger birds.
- Can be housed and bred in artificial lofts in cities.
Modern Use of Carrier Pigeons
Though no longer used militarily, pigeons are still kept by enthusiasts today. Here are some current uses:
- Pigeon racing remains popular as a hobby and sport.
- Some individuals still raise and train pigeons to send messages.
- Pigeons have carried messages for emergencies, protests, and controversial art projects.
- Colombophiles (pigeon fanciers) breed them for competitive pigeon shows.
- Bird fanciers enjoy demonstrating the birds’ amazing homing abilities.
While pigeons don’t deliver critical information like they used to, they can still provide a fail-proof way to send notes over distances. Their legendary reliability lives on even in the digital age.
Conclusion
Birds like pigeons have been employed to carry messages for thousands of years. Their speed and homing ability made them a vital messenger system since ancient times. Pigeon post reached its zenith in the 19th and early 20th centuries, when the birds delivered important news during times of war and peace. Though made obsolete by modern technology, carrier pigeons remain an admirable and time-honored way to send notes. Their reliable service is a remarkable achievement of animal intelligence and historical communication methods.
