Carrier Pigeons

Never have I considered Carrier Pigeons to be a form of technology but after Ms. Nguyen's presentation on the subject I have reconsidered my position. Carrier pigeons are just as much a communicative technology as radio or the telegram.

Ancient Pigeons

I found it particularly interesting to hear about the carrier pigeon in antiquity. Ancient Egypt has a rich history, but also one where I, as a historian, had never heard of the presence of the pigeon. That being said, I have learned that the pigeon was likely the first ever animal to be domesticated, so it isn't unreasonable to assume that ancient man would have been utilizing them since the dawn of civilization. Additionally, there have been ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs that depict swarms of pigeons in the sky, all but confirming their presence in the ancient civilization.

Police Pigeons

I also found it fascinating to learn about the decline of pigeons being used in police forces around the world. Pigeons used to be used by police forces to communicate with one another prior to the development of communicative technologies like the radio, telegram, and telephone. Currently, India's police force is the only remaining police force that uses carrier pigeons in preparations for disasters where communicative infrastructure collapses. Additionally, if somewhat unrelated, in my research I found an amusing article about a suspected Chinese spy pigeon being detained by Indian police for several months, presumably for questioning, that I highly recommend everyone read.

Prison Pigeons

One subject that I had some prior knowledge of was prison pigeons. Pigeons are being used to smuggle all sorts of contraband into prisons for prisoners. They are typically used to deliver to higher-profile prisoners, giving sim cards, phones, and chargers to prisoners. In recent history, pigeons have more often been replaced by drones, just as they have been replaced in most contexts that were discussed in the presentation. Most recently, pigeons have been caught delivering illegal narcotics into prisons. I would also be remiss to fail to mention that, instead of the classic package tied to the pigeon's leg, prison pigeons are sometimes equipped with small and personally made backpacks, leading to an amusing image of cartel arts and crafts sessions