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Most of our domesticated pigeons have a common ancestor,
the Rock Dove pigeon.
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Racing Homing Pigeons have been clocked flying 92.5 mph
average speed on a 400 mile race.
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Homing Pigeons have been known to fly 700 miles in a day.
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Pigeons have flown in many wars, including both WWI &
WWII. They have saved countless lives.
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Pigeons achieved a 98% success rate in the missions flown
in WW II, despite enemy fire, and often with mortal injuries to themselves.
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In the World Wars, flying pilots carried pigeons in case
they had to ditch their plane, they would release the bird for help.
Many pilots owe their lives to a pigeon.
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Pigeons are still used today by the French, Swiss,
Israeli, Iraqi and Chinese Armies.
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Pigeons proved valuable in the Gulf War, as their
messaging was not affected by the electronic jamming.
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Pigeons have been bought for as much as $132,000.00 by
Louella Pigeon World in 1992. "Invincible Spirit"
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They have been proposed to be used by the Project Sea
Hunt (U.S. Coast Guard) to spot life jackets out in the open sea.
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Noah's Dove was most likely a homing pigeon.
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They were used by many for communication before the
telegraph was invented.
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They were used by the Greeks more than 5,000 years ago.
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They can and are ready to breed at the age of 5 to 6
months.
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They can breed as old as 10 years of age, and have been
helped to breed past that.
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They are bred, raised and trained as good as Thoroughbred
Horses.
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Around the world there are about 5 races a year with
Million Dollar Purses.
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There are more than a million fanciers around the world
that keep pigeons, meaning there are more than 4 million kept pigeons.
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Both parents feed their young milk.
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They have been known to see very well over a 26 mile
distance.
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Scientist believe they may hear wind blowing over
mountains from hundreds of miles away.
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In the late 1800 the most heroic recorded flight was from
a pigeon that was released in Africa and took 55 days to get home in
England. Traveling over 7,000 miles.
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A pigeon is about 13 inches from beak to tail.
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Unless separated, pigeons mate for life.
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A full grown pigeon has about 10,000 feathers.
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They have been known to live over 30 years.
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In
the 17th century, King George I of England, decreed all pigeon
droppings to be property of the Crown—and the “lofts” were policed to
enforce the law! (Pigeon manure was used in making gunpowder)
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The
pigeon beats its wings up to ten times per second, while maintaining a heart
rate of 600 beats per minute up to 16 hours without rest.
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The
pigeon has the rare ability for a large bird to be able to fly nearly
straight up.
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Many of
the city pigeons feed on grain in the country.
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Advanced
studies at the University of Montana conclude: “Pound for pound, columba
livia (the pigeon)
is one of the smartest, most physically adept creatures in the animal
kingdom.”
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Queen Elizabeth II races pigeons from the Royal Lofts at
Sandringham.
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Pigeons are the only bird in the world that do not have
to lift their head to swallow water.
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When the pigeon is in long flight, it reaches back and
holds on to the short tail feathers with its feet in order to save energy
from holding its legs up.
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During breeding season, when there are more than a few
babies on the floor, all parents will feed all babies, even if they are not
their own.
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In the mid 1800's, the Reuters News Agency operated a
live telex service using Homing Pigeons.
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Homing Pigeons were introduced to the United States in
the mid 1800's. In the 1880's, the first 500 mile race took place in
this country.
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The ability to hear sounds 11 octaves below middle C
allow the pigeons to detect earthquakes and electrical storms.
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The top national race, Snowbird Classic, awards a purse
of $600,000.
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The highest priced Homing Pigeon was sold for $225,000.
