EOTO Reaction: Carrier Pigeons

The most interesting technology I learned about during the EOTO presentations was the carrier pigeons. Josiah presented on this topic and the history was so interesting, I wanted to learn more. At first I didn't believe carrier pigeons were real. I thought they were a made-up TV animation. I was proven wrong and real carrier pigeons date back to 2000 BC. Originally know as Homing Pigeons, they were the main form of long distance communication. As I learned in the presentation, the ancient Mesopotamians and Egyptians first discovered this way of long distance communication. They even grew this technology system to Greece and Rome. The Greeks heavily relied on these birds and their internal compass to fly and deliver important news. Carrier pigeons carried such important information even such as the winners of the Olympic games. Then Rome began utilizing this form of communication shortly after. They relied on the birds to deliver messages to soldiers and share outcomes of battles. 

Carrier pigeons were used for the most important information and were extremely trusted. In this day and age no one would trust a pigeon...The birds' accuracy and consistency made them so trusted as carrier pigeons became the main form of long distance and high speed communication for decades. Their internal compass, which I think is the most impressive skill they have, earned the name “homing pigeon". This was due to their ability to always find their way back home to where they began their journey. These pigeons were trained to by having a home cage after they delivered their message, hence their name.

Like how Carrier pigeons were used in Rome, they made their big impact within warfare. For years, these birds were used to send and deliver messages relating to enemy movements, tactical plans, and general wins or losses. The sent notes back and forth in World War I and World War II. In order to deliver a message, the note was placed into a very small almost "suitcase" that was tied to the bird's foot. These amazing animals were more reliable than a human messenger, due to the fact that they could navigate through any terrain, dangerous battlegrounds, unfamiliar territory, or cross over enemy fire. 

Carrier pigeons were also extremely valuable to scientists. They helped scientists understand more about migration and navigation. They discovered through research and tests that these birds have an impressively sharp memory. This explained why they easily could find their way back home. As well as, scientists discovered that these animals could fly over 60 mph. This made them so valuable because they could cover hundreds of miles in a single trip. These birds have one of the most impressive navigation and location awareness I've ever heard of. 

While in 2000 BC the carrier pigeon was a turning point in communication, this form of communication is completely overthrown by modern technology. Imagine using a carrier pigeon today instead of just sending a quick, instant text (and receiving a quick, instant response). The telegram was the technological development that threatened the use of the carrier pigeon when it was created in the early 19th century. Looking back at these inventions today, they are fascinating but not practical for 2025. Although I imagine the helpfulness of these tools back in the day were viewed the same way that we view our iPhone.