Military Pigeon History & Research
Pigeons of War explores the history of homing pigeons in military service, from antiquity to the modern era.
Recent Articles
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Pigeons in the Roman Military: The Siege of Mutina, 44-43 B.C.
At its peak, the military of Ancient Rome was without peer. Enterprising commanders developed advanced weaponry, employed innovative strategies on the battlefield, and implemented incredible engineering feats. With this expertise, one might wonder: did the Roman military ever utilize a…
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Pigeon Heroes of the Great War: Spike
Many of the famed war pigeons we’ve discussed at Pigeons of War were maimed in battle. This is not surprising, given that the birds served in active war zones. As visible targets flying over enemy lines, pigeons frequently lost legs,…
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Pigeons in the Eighty Years’ War: The Siege of Zierikzee, 1575-76 A.D.
Last time we looked at the Eighty Years’ War, pigeons brought hope to the Dutch city of Leiden while it was under siege by the Spanish. But not all of the Dutch rebels’ attempts at using pigeons succeeded during that…
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The Poilus: A Tale of Two War Pigeons
Many of the pigeons that participated in the Great War received names related to the conflict. The first American pigeon to deliver a message from the trenches was named Gunpowder, while British soldiers called one prominent bird Dreadnought. It should…