Until the introduction of telephones, pigeons were used for communication commercially, and in war times, under the clever ...

Waikato pigeon fancier Ray Hooker’s interest in his grandmother’s and father’s pigeons, budgies, canaries and cockatiels ended up with him being given the responsibility for them at 11 years old.

Odisha’s carrier pigeon service still maintains a fleet of around 150 birds, though their purpose has grown increasingly ceremonial.