Homing pigeon facts for kids

homing pigeon is a special type of pigeon. These birds have been trained to find their way home over very long distances. Wild rock pigeons, from which homing pigeons were bred, also have this natural ability. They usually return to their own nest and mate. This made it easy to breed pigeons that could fly home from far away.

Some homing pigeons have flown as far as 1,800 kilometers (about 1,118 miles) in races! They can reach speeds of up to 95 kilometers per hour (59 mph).

When homing pigeons are used to carry messages, they are called carrier pigeons. A message is written on thin, light paper, rolled into a small tube, and attached to the bird's leg. This is known as pigeon post. Pigeons can only fly back to a place they know as "home." So, for "pigeon mail" to work, the sender must have the receiver's pigeons. White homing pigeons are also used in special ceremonies, like weddings or sporting events

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