fact
The Chinese Army has been training 10,000 pigeons to provide support to the military’s communications in the event that war renders its modern technology unusable. The pigeons, flying at speeds of up to 75 miles (120 km) per hour, are being trained to carry loads of up to 3.5 oz (100 g).
The post The Chinese Army has been training… appeared first on Crazy Facts.
For more than a month, the staff at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra noticed that poppies laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were disappearing, one at a time. They were bothered at first because that is desecration, but after a while they spotted the culprit – a pigeon who was filching the flowers and using them to build a stunning nest near a stained glass window.
The window commemorates the wounded soldier and honors the quality of endurance.
Instead of being irritated at a bird for causing trouble, the staff there chose to see it the colorful nest as “a reminder of the powerful bond between man and beast on the battlefield.”
Even though most people today see pigeons as little better than rats with wings, during many of the world’s wars, they were considered powerful allies and communication tools.
A pigeon has stolen poppies from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and made a nest in The Hall of Memory. https://t.co/cAXRDfPf0j
— The Sydney Morning Herald (@smh) November 7, 2019
Historian Dr. Meleah Hampton reminds us why:
“Particularly in the early wars, communication is really difficult. Wireless is in its absolute infancy in the First World War and telephone wires get broken apart in the shellfire on the Western Front. So pigeons are particularly of use in warfare when you’ve got a couple of men trying to get a message from where they are back to the backline: a pigeon can get that through sometimes when nothing else can.”
Pigeon steals poppies, creates 'commemorative' nest above Australian war memorial | CTV News https://t.co/AUmsaIPvsh pic.twitter.com/fjjZjtFoTk
— Pearl Street Inc (@PearlStreetInc) November 11, 2019
During WWII, 32 pigeons were recognized with the PDSA Dickin Medal, an award given to any animal that displays conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.
One pigeon, called White Vision, received his (or her) medal for “delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an aircrew while serving with the RAF in October, 1943.”
Just something to remember the next time you’re shooing them away at the park, or grumbling about the mess they’ve made of your car.
They might not be technical veterans, but on a day when we remember those who have spent part of their life in service to country, it seems fitting to remember that not everyone who sacrificed was human.
The post A Pigeon Built a Gorgeous Nest out of Poppies Stolen from a World War I Memorial appeared first on UberFacts.
For more than a month, the staff at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra noticed that poppies laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were disappearing, one at a time. They were bothered at first because that is desecration, but after a while they spotted the culprit – a pigeon who was filching the flowers and using them to build a stunning nest near a stained glass window.
The window commemorates the wounded soldier and honors the quality of endurance.
Instead of being irritated at a bird for causing trouble, the staff there chose to see it the colorful nest as “a reminder of the powerful bond between man and beast on the battlefield.”
Even though most people today see pigeons as little better than rats with wings, during many of the world’s wars, they were considered powerful allies and communication tools.
A pigeon has stolen poppies from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and made a nest in The Hall of Memory. https://t.co/cAXRDfPf0j
— The Sydney Morning Herald (@smh) November 7, 2019
Historian Dr. Meleah Hampton reminds us why:
“Particularly in the early wars, communication is really difficult. Wireless is in its absolute infancy in the First World War and telephone wires get broken apart in the shellfire on the Western Front. So pigeons are particularly of use in warfare when you’ve got a couple of men trying to get a message from where they are back to the backline: a pigeon can get that through sometimes when nothing else can.”
Pigeon steals poppies, creates 'commemorative' nest above Australian war memorial | CTV News https://t.co/AUmsaIPvsh pic.twitter.com/fjjZjtFoTk
— Pearl Street Inc (@PearlStreetInc) November 11, 2019
During WWII, 32 pigeons were recognized with the PDSA Dickin Medal, an award given to any animal that displays conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.
One pigeon, called White Vision, received his (or her) medal for “delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an aircrew while serving with the RAF in October, 1943.”
Just something to remember the next time you’re shooing them away at the park, or grumbling about the mess they’ve made of your car.
They might not be technical veterans, but on a day when we remember those who have spent part of their life in service to country, it seems fitting to remember that not everyone who sacrificed was human.
The post A Pigeon Built a Gorgeous Nest out of Poppies Stolen from a World War I Memorial appeared first on UberFacts.
A few weeks ago, the Fallen Feathers bird sanctuary in Glendale, Arizona received an especially glitzy new guest.
Photo Credit: Facebook
He looked to be healthy, well taken care of and like he’s seen at least one red carpet. “He’s friendly and fits on your finger,” Jody Kieran, director of the sanctuary, told AZ Central. Appropriately, the caretakers at Fallen Feathers named him Liberace.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Fallen Feathers spread the word about the fancy fowl via Facebook, the local news stations and papers hoping to connect him with his owner. If the owner didn’t respond within a month, Liberace would be put up for adoption.
But one question kept popping up over and over again. What is a flight suit?
The sanctuary blogged an explanation. A flight suit is a diaper for birds. It protects clothing and furniture when pet birds are out of their cages.
And clearly they are easy to customize.
Photo Credit: Facebook
…The more you know.
Kieran appreciated all the concern and shares her posts garnered. She wanted to find the owner and get Liberace back to watching the TV westerns he favored in his own home. “This was a bird that was loved,” she said.
Photo Credit: Facebook
If no one stepped up to adopt him, Kieran was even considering releasing Liberace in the wild.
Thankfully, a call came from someone in the area who happened to see a news story on Liberace on Instagram. It turns out Liberace’s real name is Olive, which, while not as glamorous-sounding, is still pretty cute. And just like that, owner and beloved, bedazzled Olive were finally reunited.
Now Olive can finally relax at home and watch his favorite movie, Lonesome Dove.
The post A Fabulous Pigeon Found Wearing a Rhinestone Jacket is Reunited with Owner appeared first on UberFacts.
A few weeks ago, the Fallen Feathers bird sanctuary in Glendale, Arizona received an especially glitzy new guest.
Photo Credit: Facebook
He looked to be healthy, well taken care of and like he’s seen at least one red carpet. “He’s friendly and fits on your finger,” Jody Kieran, director of the sanctuary, told AZ Central. Appropriately, the caretakers at Fallen Feathers named him Liberace.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Fallen Feathers spread the word about the fancy fowl via Facebook, the local news stations and papers hoping to connect him with his owner. If the owner didn’t respond within a month, Liberace would be put up for adoption.
But one question kept popping up over and over again. What is a flight suit?
The sanctuary blogged an explanation. A flight suit is a diaper for birds. It protects clothing and furniture when pet birds are out of their cages.
And clearly they are easy to customize.
Photo Credit: Facebook
…The more you know.
Kieran appreciated all the concern and shares her posts garnered. She wanted to find the owner and get Liberace back to watching the TV westerns he favored in his own home. “This was a bird that was loved,” she said.
Photo Credit: Facebook
If no one stepped up to adopt him, Kieran was even considering releasing Liberace in the wild.
Thankfully, a call came from someone in the area who happened to see a news story on Liberace on Instagram. It turns out Liberace’s real name is Olive, which, while not as glamorous-sounding, is still pretty cute. And just like that, owner and beloved, bedazzled Olive were finally reunited.
Now Olive can finally relax at home and watch his favorite movie, Lonesome Dove.
The post A Fabulous Pigeon Found Wearing a Rhinestone Jacket is Reunited with Owner appeared first on UberFacts.
During WWII, a research program tried to train pigeons to guide missiles. Pigeons would follow the image, pecking at it, which would move the screen on its pivots. The program was shutdown, with the lead researcher stating:”Our problem was no one would take us seriously.” 10
The Coast Guard trained pigeons to assist in finding people lost at sea. They sat in a dome attached to a helicopter, pressing a lever after spotting life preservers or debris. They had a 90% success rate in initial trials.
Hangleton Manor, the oldest secular building in Hove, England, has a cursed dovecote reputedly haunted by ghost pigeons.