War Pigeons: 6 Myths About History's Bravest Birds

War pigeons were not just birds with a note tied to one leg. Trained pigeons flew through gunfire, gas, and exploding shells to carry messages that saved hundreds of soldiers in both World War I and World War II. Some were shot. Some lost an eye or a leg mid-flight. Many still made it home. Over time, their real story got flattened into a few neat myths. Here are 6 of the most common ones, and the true history behind each.

In this article

• Myth 1: War pigeons were only a World War I thing
• Myth 2: Pigeons just carried harmless notes
• Myth 3: Cher Ami is the only war pigeon anyone remembers
• Myth 4: Only the US and Britain used war pigeons
• Myth 5: Homing pigeons just know the way, no training needed
• Myth 6: Pigeons were retired the moment World War II ended
• Notable war pigeons and their honors
• Frequently asked questions

Myth 1: War pigeons were only a World War I thing

Most people picture war pigeons in muddy World War I trenches. But armies used them long before that. Ancient Rome and Greece used pigeons to carry battle news. Julius Caesar is said to have used them too. The habit never really stopped. The US Army Pigeon Service trained and flew birds all through World War II. It did not shut down until 1957, once radios finally got small and reliable enough to take over.

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Myth 2: Pigeons just carried harmless notes

A tiny message tube does not sound dangerous. But the job was not safe at all. Pigeons flew straight over battlefields. They flew through gas clouds and machine gun fire, because that was the whole point: they could go where phone lines were cut and runners could not get through. Many were shot down and never made it home. The ones that did often arrived hurt. In 1918, a hen pigeon named Cher Ami carried a message that helped stop American guns from firing on their own troops. She was shot through the chest. She was blinded in one eye. One of her legs was left hanging by a tendon. She still finished the flight. Her message saved about 194 US soldiers, a group known as the "Lost Battalion."

Myth 3: Cher Ami is the only war pigeon anyone remembers

Cher Ami gets the most attention today. But she was one of thousands of pigeons who served, and far from the only one honored for it. Britain's Dickin Medal is like the animal version of a top war medal. More than 30 pigeons have won it since 1943. That is more than any other kind of animal has won. In 1943, a pigeon named GI Joe flew 20 miles in about 20 minutes. His flight helped stop a bombing raid on an Italian town, just in time. In 1942, a pigeon named Winkie helped rescuers find a lost bomber crew stuck at sea. Winkie won the very first Dickin Medal ever given out.

Myth 4: Only the US and Britain used war pigeons

Pigeon service was a worldwide military habit, not just a US and UK thing. Germany, France, Australia, and other nations all ran their own pigeon units during the World Wars. They bred and trained birds the same way. The rivalry even got strange. Nazi Germany trained falcons for one job: hunting down enemy pigeons in the air. Pigeon flights became a small air war of their own, hidden inside the larger one.

Myth 5: Homing pigeons just know the way, no training needed

Homing pigeons are the same species as the common street pigeon, the rock dove. But that natural sense of direction only goes so far on its own. Military pigeons came from birds bred for many years just to find their way home. They lived in lofts that moved with the troops, so "home" kept changing. Handlers trained them with short test flights that grew longer over time. Pigeons rode into the field inside tanks, ships, submarines, and planes. Once let go with a message, they flew straight back to their loft.

Myth 6: Pigeons were retired the moment World War II ended

The war ending did not end pigeon work right away. Britain and the US both kept pigeon units running for years afterward. The US program did not close for good until 1957. Even after that, pigeons never fully left military thinking. A trained pigeon cannot be jammed, hacked, or tracked the way a radio signal can. Because of that, a few countries still study pigeons, or keep small units, as a backup option long after satellites took over.

Notable war pigeons and their honors

A few pigeons became famous enough that military museums still tell their stories today. Here are five of the best documented.

You can read a fuller account of pigeon service in both World Wars from the Imperial War Museums. Its collection holds original pigeon message capsules and training records.

Stories like these are a good reminder that "just a bird" sells most species short. For more on the science behind bird behavior, see our guide on why birds sing.

Frequently asked questions

When did the US military stop using pigeons?

The US Army's Pigeon Service officially closed in 1957. By then, radios had gotten small and reliable enough to take over the job pigeons had done since World War I.

What is the most famous war pigeon?

Cher Ami is the best-known war pigeon. In 1918, she delivered a message that stopped American guns from firing on their own troops. She saved about 194 US soldiers, even after being shot through the chest and badly hurt mid-flight.

How many pigeons received the Dickin Medal?

More than 30 pigeons have won the Dickin Medal, Britain's top award for animal bravery in war. That is more than any other species, including the dogs and horses also honored with it.

Why did militaries choose pigeons over other messengers?

Pigeons could fly in a straight line over battlefields. That mattered where phone wires were cut and human runners could be shot. A trained homing pigeon can fly around 50 miles an hour. It can find its way home from hundreds of miles out. That made it fast, and often safer than the other options.

Are pigeons still used for military communication today?

Not for daily use. Radios and satellites took over that job long ago. But a trained pigeon cannot be jammed, hacked, or tracked the way a radio signal can. Because of that, a few countries still study pigeons, or keep small units, as a backup option.

What's the difference between a homing pigeon and a regular pigeon?

They are the same kind of bird, called a rock dove. A homing pigeon comes from birds bred for many years just to find their way home. It is trained young to fly back to one loft. A street pigeon has never been bred or trained for that job.