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How to Sabotage Military Pigeons: A Primer
Since the Siege of Paris (1870-71), armies have tried to neutralize military pigeons. The reasons for this are easy to understand—pigeons allow the enemy to request aid and to receive confidential information from spies. To put a stop to these birds, militaries have recruited sharpshooters and hawks to dispatch them, or released intercepted pigeons with…
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The Swedish Military’s Pigeon Service: 1886 – 1949 A.D.
A lot of ink has been spilled about military pigeons and their heroic actions during wartime. But what about those in peacetime armies? This blog is part of an occasional series examining military pigeon services in countries with strong traditions of neutrality. This week, we look at Sweden’s former military pigeon service. Like most European…
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Pigeons in the Iraq War: Interview with Stacy Jeambert, former Chief Warrant Officer for the 1st Marine Division
Several weeks ago, we wrote about how the 1st Marine Division used pigeons for chemical detection in the first months of the Iraq War. A rare instance of pigeons being used in modern warfare, the article has become the most popular one featured on this blog. To shed more light on this fascinating story, we…
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August De Corte: How Uncle Sam Stiffed An Innovative Pigeoneer During World War One
A declaration of war is often accompanied by economic opportunities. Governments invest heavily in industry to meet demand and fortune often follows those lucky enough to get a contract. But not in every case. Today, we discuss the plight of August De Corte, a pigeon fancier-cum-inventor who advised the United States Army Signal Corps during…
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Old Anchor: A Naval Pigeon That Jumped Ship During World War One
In the final months of the Great War, the German Army frequently left behind their pigeons as they beat a hasty retreat from encroaching Allied forces. Many of these abandoned birds, as we’ve previously written about, were eagerly adopted by the Americans, who incorporated them into breeding programs back stateside. But Germany’s Army was not…
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Braddock: The Newspaper Pigeon Who Joined The Army
At Pigeons of War, we’ve devoted several articles to famous war pigeons. We’ve written about Gustav and President Wilson, for instance, both of whom spent their formative years in the military. However, thousands of pigeons from all walks of life were donated to the military during both World Wars. This week, we take a look…
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Birds of Prey vs. Pigeons of War
Pigeons and birds of prey have had a troubled relationship since the beginning. As nations rushed to set up military pigeon services in the 19th century, officials devoted ample resources to preventing bird-on-bird attacks. This was a serious concern for militaries. Hawks, falcons, and even owls could quickly annihilate an entire flock of pigeons during…
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Pigeons in the Iraq War
When people think of military pigeons, they usually associate them with a bygone era. It may come as a shock to many to learn that pigeons were actually used by the United States military in the 21st Century. This week, we take a look at an interesting chapter of the Iraq War involving pigeons and…
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“You’re in the Army Now!”: When Pigeons Get Drafted
In discussions about military pigeons, little attention has been paid to how the birds even entered the armed forces. Typically, there were two routes. Some pigeons were like professional servicemembers—born and raised in government lofts, all they knew was a life of military camps and discipline. Others were like draftees—prize-winning racing birds in civilian life,…
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Military Pigeons in the 21st Century, Part III: China
Since the end of the Second World War, most of the world’s militaries have decommissioned their pigeon services. A few, however, have held onto their birds. In this ongoing series, we’ll take a closer look at these holdouts. For the past two weeks, we’ve explored the world’s last military pigeon services. So far, we’ve learned…
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