Prompt Cast
The Fascinating World of Pigeons: From Messenger Birds to Ornamental Pets
TLDR Pigeons, including messenger pigeons, homing pigeons, and carrier pigeons, have unique abilities to find their way home using a combination of the sun, Earth's magnetic field, smells, and sound. They have played important roles in history, such as being used as communication tools during World War I, and have even been kept as pets by celebrities and fictional characters.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Messenger pigeons, homing pigeons, and carrier pigeons are all different types of pigeons, with carrier pigeons being ornamental and bred to show.
05:01
Carrier pigeons have distinct waddles on their beaks that are considered a point of pride among pigeon fanciers, and they are capable of flying long distances and finding their way home due to their instinct to return to their nests to mate.
09:42
Pigeons use a combination of the sun, Earth's magnetic field, smells, and sound to find their way home.
14:24
Pigeons listen for familiar subsonic sounds to create a sound map and navigate their way home.
19:07
Messenger pigeons and homing pigeons are essentially the same, except that messenger pigeons carry a message, while carrier pigeons are not bred for any specific purpose and should not be called "carriers."
23:47
During World War I, pigeons were used as a reliable means of communication in war, with laws passed to protect them and rewards offered for reporting anyone who harmed them, and one pigeon named Cherami saved the lives of 194 men by delivering a message despite being shot and losing a leg.
28:53
The passenger pigeon, once making up 40% of the North American bird population, became extinct due to relentless hunting and deforestation.
34:25
The extinction of the passenger pigeon was caused by the destruction of their habitat and over predation by humans, leading to their population going from billions to extinct in just a few decades.
39:12
Pigeons can carry up to two and a half ounces of something on their backpacks, and feeding pigeons is illegal in some places due to their ability to congregate and spread disease.
43:50
You can train homing pigeons to race and fly long distances by creating a roost with food and gradually moving it further away, and you can even attach a backpack with a message to the pigeon to delight a friend.
48:05
The hosts discuss various celebrities and fictional characters who have raised pigeons, including boxers, actors, and even the big purple dinosaur Barney.
Categories:
Society & Culture
