Pigeons of War is a public-history project devoted to the history of military pigeon services and the varied uses of pigeons by armed forces.

The project explores military pigeon use from antiquity through the modern era, with particular attention to their roles in communications, intelligence and reconnaissance, chemical sensing and detection, search-and-rescue operations, and weapons delivery.

Research for Pigeons of War draws on military reports, archival newspapers, technical manuals, memoirs, pigeon-fanciers’ publications, photographs, and other primary and secondary sources. Articles range from discussions about individual pigeons and units to broader analyses of the role of pigeons in military operations and doctrine.

The varied military uses of pigeons examined by Pigeons of War form the basis of columbellumology, a proposed interdisciplinary framework for the study of pigeons in military service and the organizations, personnel, technologies, doctrines, and practices associated with their use. The term provides a way to examine military pigeons beyond the traditional boundaries of military history, communications theory, and pigeon husbandry.

About the Editor

Justin Craig is the founder and editor of Pigeons of War. His research on military pigeons has appeared in Warship International, the Pulaski County Historical Review, and the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. His public-history work has also included manuscript review, museum exhibit research assistance, documentary consulting, and oral-history research.