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For Cher Ami And Fellow Pigeons, All's Fair In Love, War And Racing

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By PHILIP MORGAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 20, 2007

Cher Ami, a one-legged homing pigeon, stands stuffed in honor at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Though wounded, the bird delivered a message that saved 200 American soldiers trapped in a battle during World War I. The French awarded the prestigious Croix de Guerre medal to the cooing combatant.

Like most soldiers, he would have shrugged it off as just an effort to get back home. Here's more on Cher Ami ('dear friend') and his brethren:

Too brave to duck - Pigeons have been prized as war birds for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks used them to send messages in battle. The U.S. Army Signal Corps took 600 to the front in France in World War I.
Cher Ami was peppered by German fire when he was released in October 1918 by remnants of a battalion surrounded by the enemy. Yet he raced 25 miles in 25 minutes back to headquarters, carrying a message that alerted artillerists that they were firing on their own men. Medics patched a hole in the bird's breast, but they had to amputate a nearly severed leg.

No smell like home - Scientists offer varied theories on how pigeons zero in on their home lofts after flying 600 or more miles over unfamiliar territory. Some speculate the birds have a special instinct for keying in on changes in the Earth's magnetism. Others say they use the sun for a guide or follow low-frequency sounds. An Italian scientist last year said the birds find their way home by smell, following special 'odor maps' they make.

Belgium, the Le Mans of pigeon racing - Pigeon racing began in the Netherlands but soon centered in Belgium, where young people embrace the hobby like Americans follow football or baseball. In the 1800s, homing pigeons brought news of London stock markets to many Belgian cities.

Americans first imported homing pigeons from Europe in the 1860s, and, by 1872, Philadelphia's Red Star Club was organizing races.

All the news fit to flit - Reuters News Service was using racing pigeons as a crude telex system in the 1850s.

The wings of love - Racing homers need the proper diet, exercise and training to perform well. And their owners are always looking for new sources of motivation - inspiration to get to their lofts even faster.

One trick is to separate a male bird from his mate for about a week before the competition; the process is called 'widowhood.' Just before the race, the female is brought in and placed with the male. He is removed for the race and can't wait to get home - where he'll once again get to spend quality time with his lovey-dovey.

But they have to strain to hear Art Garfunkel - The birds can hear sounds 11 octaves below middle C. They can detect earthquakes and the approach of electrical storms.

No word on Walter Pidgeon - Lots of celebrities raise racing or fancy pigeons. The list of pigeon hobbyists, living and dead, includes sports announcer and former pro quarterback Terry Bradshaw, singer Ray Price, actors Joanne Woodward and Yul Brynner, cowboy star Roy Rogers, artist Pablo Picasso and boxer George Foreman.

England's Elizabeth II keeps a flock of royal pigeons. No doubt they are all willing to withstand enemy machine-gun fire, like good old Cher Ami, if the queen so commands.

Sources include American Racing Pigeon Union, the London Observer, Tampa Tribune files

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