Pigeons: The Heroic Communicators of Modern Warfare Guest: Stephen Moss Book Title: Ten Birds That Changed the World The humble pigeon is celebrated for its extraordinary homing skills, which Moss describes as making it the "ultimate mailman." While legen

Pigeons: The Heroic Communicators of Modern Warfare Guest: Stephen Moss Book Title: Ten Birds That Changed the World The humble pigeon is celebrated for its extraordinary homing skills, which Moss describes as making it the "ultimate mailman." While legends like the Rothschilds using pigeons to profit from the Battle of Waterloo are mostly myth, the bird's real-world contributions to communication during the World Wars were pivotal. During D-Day, radio silence was mandatory, and pigeons were released from Normandy beaches to carry news of successful landings back to Britain. Moss highlights Cher Ami, a pigeon that saved a New York battalion from "friendly fire" despite being severely wounded. These birds were so effective that the British military even deployed a unit to hunt peregrine falcons to protect pigeon messengers. Moss notes the paradox of the pigeon: often dismissed as urban pests, they were actually reliable, "unturnable" assets that saved the democratic world through their instinctual drive to return home. (2)
1849 RAVEN