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We’re fondly aware of our well-known and much-loved blue jay. They’re commonly found in the Eastern regions of North America. Its array of stained-glass-like blues and whites on its body along with the familiar blue crest makes it a bird of extra note in the wild. Its cousin, the Stellar’s jay found in the western regions of the U.S. is as distinctive and pleasant to look at as its cousin. Both birds are plentiful and not with concern for depletion. Of course, there are several birds included within the jay family, but they aren’t as vibrantly colored and remembered as readily. But there is one that we are typically unaware of simply because they live further south within Mexico and Central America. This is the green jay.

Green Jays On The Move

The green jay has only previously been spotted as far north as the deep south of Texas bordering Mexico. As the green jay is a non-migratory species, it is realized that it is perfectly satisfied with its resident locations where it thrives. These beautiful birds are highly recognizable for their yellow-white feathers, and the patch of dark blue on their heads. Their upper regions are a deep green color, with their belly regions colored lighter green. But something curious is occurring. They seem to be moving north a bit.

eBird, an online database that monitors and catalogs birds and tracks sightings of those birds has recently updated with the news that the green jay has been sighted in San Antonio and other more northern towns. It appears that they’re liking the developing softer winters that are now common inside southern Texas. It likely reminds them of the home they have typically lived in so…why not a new spot, a new home. Right? Humans do it all the time.

Even more fascinating is the recent sighting of a possible hybrid of a blue jay and a green Jjay. Sighted within the confines of San Antonio, the odd bird was at a feeder and captured by a graduate student from Austin for closer genetic study. It has been photographed and posted with interest. And so, it seems that the blue jay is checking out the southern regions of the U.S. more than they previously have. And with that, it is inevitable that the two birds would come into contact eventually.

Climate Driving Relocations?

As climate change occurs, many instances of relocation occur naturally as tantalizing discoveries for the birds. They begin to find suitable habitats in which to start fresh. With our exponentially growing interests in birdwatching, and the development and fast growth of technologies enabled to mark these occurrences, we’re finding rapid change within every facet of the natural world. Like humans, birds are learning to adapt within a broader stage that suits their needs. If it begins to get too hot in one place, and the climate has provided a suitable location elsewhere nearby, the birds will take advantage of it to survive.

Those green jays are beautiful and a new addition to my lexicon.

We often hear the tales of noncaring and willful teardown of important habitat locations for birds to construct things meant for the critical needs of expansive human needs. With those, we run strong, sometimes overpowering risks that – sadly – challenge the long-term survivability of species of birds and others. It would be an extraordinary reality if those who invade habitats took into consideration the needs of helpless creatures. While that remains a large and often improbable task, a Danish company is responding to a requirement to help give possibilities to a threatened species of seabird known as the kittiwake.

Ørsted is a renewable energy company located in Denmark. Its main goal is to help our world transition to and become fully dependent on “green” energy. They construct and operate wind and solar farms, energy storage facilities, renewable hydrogen facilities, and bioenergy plants. Birds are susceptible to large structures like wind turbines, resulting in a high mortality rate for some bird species. A Biological Conservation 2013 study has estimated that a total of around 235,000 birds die annually due to the mass of large monopole wind turbines around the world. By now, that number is likely to be even higher as more structures are erected to advance wind energy collection.

Ocean Nests

The kittiwake bird is a species of the Gull family. These small white-bodied, gray-backed, and gray-winged birds are separated by two species known as black-legged in the U.K. areas they live in. (There is a red-legged species found in North America). They form densely packed colonies in their nesting arenas and are exclusive cliff-nesters. They are found in northern climes connected by the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean. The gulls are dependent on marine life for their diet.

A massive offshore wind farm is being constructed by Ørsted off the east coast of England. To complete the project, the company was compelled to construct three large artificial kittiwake nest structures on the ocean not far from the shores to help ease the decline of the species, something that has been noted since 2000. With all this in mind, the development of the close-to-shore nests will aid further in keeping them safer from predators.

The nests were designed specifically to cater to the needs of the kittiwake bird. They were created with help from ecologists and engineers. A single pile was driven in with an octagonal structure affixed on top. Each structure can house 500 nests in a complex arrangement supported by ledges. To help science monitor the birds within the structures, space has been saved for researchers, who can then maintain completely obscure observations. There are chairs, tables, and a whiteboard within the spaces for the researchers to use along with panels that allow the researchers to look at the population of birds, but the birds cannot see them. In addition, cameras were installed for the constant monitoring of the birds as they acclimate to make these structures their new nesting areas.

The naming convention for a few of the world’s many species of birds has sometimes been in reverence to the individuals who “discovered” them by research, other forms of supplied data, or simply by the assignation of honor. Many naturalists have acknowledged the existence of birds and have presented studied information on a bird.

In the U.S., several birds have appended names with a person of note own’s name. For example, there is the Anna’s Hummingbird, a common non-migrating Western Coast hummingbird that can be found from Canada down to Mexico. It acquired its common name from the French courtier, Anne DeBelle, who was gifted the name from the French naturalist, René Lesson. Lesson was responsible for the bird’s original description. Another is the McCown’s Longspur, recently changed to Thick-billed Longspur in 2020.

Motivated By Inclusivity

The American Ornithological Society (AOS) has recently come to a momentous decision to change the names of all birds that have an honored name attached (like those above) to simpler descriptive names. The changes come about because of concern over the history of some of the honored names. James P. McCown, for example, was a Confederate general who was honored by the naming of the longspur mentioned above. However, General McCown was also a slave owner, and the name of the bird is a consistent reminder that history was not always at its best.

The decision to rename birds that have been named after controversial historical figures has been reached to help alleviate reminders of racism and misogyny. Early in November of 2023, the AOS group released a bulletin to the media that all birds inside the U.S. and Canada with an assigned honorific name will have a replacement name beginning in 2024. This will initially impact around 70-80 birds in the first year. In addition to the newly assigned names, a new convention in naming will be instituted by AOS going forward. This new convention will eliminate the ability to assign honorary names to birds to avoid history-related complications in the future.

I provide an extract from the communique here from AOS President, Colleen Handel, PhD., a research wildlife biologist employed by the U.S. Geological Survey in the state of Alaska. Handel states: “There is power in a name, and some English bird names have associations with the past that continue to be exclusionary and harmful today. We need a much more inclusive and engaging scientific process that focuses attention on the unique features and beauty of the birds themselves. Everyone who loves and cares about birds should be able to enjoy and study them freely—and birds need our help now more than ever.” (You can read that AOS-issued release here.)

The simple purpose of the expected name changes is to remove old, implied biases that have a harmful impact on everyone. The naming convention being impacted began in the 1800s to give prominence to individuals regardless of their standing or commercial involvements. Whatever the prominence was back in those days, they no longer exist today. The world redefines itself as a grouping of diverse peoples and is steadily moving in that direction. These name changes help to reach that goal in a vital area.

Birds also have scientific names attached to them in addition to the common names applied. These scientific names will remain in place as they do not reference anything outside of genus affiliations.

Everyone loves a good reunion story, especially after a significant amount of time has passed. There’s a sense of renewal, a sense of relief, and an overflow of unavoidable emotions that are part of love, happiness, and a brand-new lease on connection and greater responsibility.

There is an earlier story of a parrot lost in Los Angeles who was reunited with his original owner after a period of four years. The parrot’s name is Nigel and, on his return, spoke only Spanish instead of the British-accented English he had learned before. Fortunately, Nigel was micro-chipped, giving the return a happy ending. The owner discovered that the parrot was sold to a family in Torrance, CA, and opted to do quite an unselfish thing by “gifting” Nigel to the last owners that Nigel (now known as Morgan) had. The story, although bittersweet, was a beautiful one. There are others, no doubt. But this new story centers around a parrot named Jako.

Jako Says His Name

Jako is an African Grey parrot from France who was stolen from its original owner. The bird has been missing for a long period of three years, a point where the owner had likely given up hope for the return of the bird. There were the usual reports to authorities concerning the theft, the expected search period, and obviously the mournful period of grief over the loss of Jako. But then a wonderful thing happened by way of remembrance and habit. The remembrance was from a police official in Marseilles; the habit from the bird who would excitedly say its name. The police officer who owned Jako had previously told his co-police officers about this trait back in 2020, when the bird was stolen.

The Old Port of Marseilles is an end-of- street location, an ancient place of commerce that has a resource of vendors selling many things. In this case, one vendor was attempting to sell an African grey parrot, the sale of which is considered an illegal effort in France. Police closed in on the vendor, and as they took possession of the bird, it shouted its name, “Jako,” repeatedly. The officer remembered that his fellow officer had lost a bird in the past spurred on by the tale that the bird would say his name. And that name was Jako. (Jako is a noun that means simply – African grey.) This knowledge set into motion the return of the parrot who had been missing for those long, long three years.

After a brief time of contact efforts, Jako was reunited with his original owner. It’s reported that as soon as Jako saw his pal, he excitedly shouted his own name…as expected. And thus ends this tale of loss and return, one with an ending worth squawking about. As anyone will know, losing a cared-for pet, especially one that has brought extraordinary happiness and untold fulfillment to a family, is an incomparable sadness. Often, the grief is never lost but long remains as a hole. This story brings hope.

We’re glad to see Jako and his owner brought back together!

Birds and their mating rituals! Some dance, others preen, and still others perform intricate movements to attract the eyes of a favored beauty. For wild palm cockatoos, it is a creative display of personalized drumsticks that gets the attention of their female counterparts. A recent study published by the prestigious U.K. science journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B set out to discover which birds in the wild fashion tools to enhance their lives. Most cases of tool creation as a means of enhancement typically occur in captivity. In this study, it was discovered that male palm cockatoos in the wild – and only wild palm cockatoos – create tools to make their courtship display more attractive to females rather than for foraging and other methods of survival help. This gives us all kinds of interesting and imaginative thoughts as we dive into the drumming styles of these parrots.

The palm cockatoo, also known as the Goliath cockatoo, is a large beautiful parrot with smokey gray and black feathering. It has a large, distinctive crest and an equally large bill. Found in the northern region of Australia, these parrots are plentiful, with a Least Concern rating by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) agency. Add to their beautiful appearance a clever and intriguing play-out of allure for the female, the palm cockatoo is one amazing bird.

Dancing To His Own Beat

The study was undertaken by Dr. Robert Heinsoln from the Australian National University (Canberra, Australia). Heinsoln found that male palm cockatoos will gather and work with sticks and seed pods. But the male doesn’t create them prior to his show for female palm cockatoos. In fact, the male first does his best to produce an attention-grabbing selection of songs and whistles, all the while showcasing his worth by puffing out his chest and doing acrobatic turns on his branch stage—kind of like a parrot Mick Jagger.  As he continues his unique dance, he will then pull a stick or seed pod off of the branch, and create his own drumstick to further attract the female audience. After the show, the male leaves it to the female to select.

Heinsohl hypothesizes that this “ drumming show” serves to reveal to the potential female mate that the male is a strong member of the species, worthy of her selection. The drumming style is unique to the individual male cockatoo, which demonstrates a display of intelligence (like the drumming skills of legendary drummers like Keith Moon, Buddy Rich, or John Bonham). Also interesting is the fact that the individual male parrot typically creates sticks completely unique to the moment. Some of male cockatoos were found to appreciate the sound of a larger and wider stick, while others preferred to work with thinner sticks.

This study is important, as researchers are continually honing newly acquired information that reveals the complex nature of birds in the wild. What makes this study more effective was that it was observed not in a controlled environment but was fully observed silently in natural habitats to achieve an undisturbed state of discovery.

Birdwatching is a dedicated passion for many people. They track, travel, and otherwise set their own stage when it comes to the pursuit of birds to view. These people are their own breed. They can determine the locality of birds by expert recognition of the array of calls and sounds that each bird makes. But like many collectors, there is an elusive bird out there that has – thus far – eluded the birder. That bird is referenced among birders as the “nemesis” bird. Twitchers (or birders who drop everything to watch for a known bird’s arrival), know this “nemesis bird” well.

Every Birder Has A “Nemesis” Bird

There are many definitions of the “nemesis” bird, but typically it is the one bird that no matter how often or hard you’ve tried; how patient you’ve been lying in wait for one to show itself, it just seems to never materialize for you. For you! Everyone else can have seen that same bird but not you. The elusive Nemesis bird is a curse of sorts for birders. Many resources have been liberally expended to simply manage to see this bird. Avid fans of watching will store up vacation days just to be able to afford the time to get out to where their “nemesis” bird is reported to be. And they do watch for reports.

If you follow any kind of birding in social media, there are birders who consistently reference their “nemesis” bird in mini journals lamenting their unlucky selves. They often recount stories about how close they came but that ornery bird just never materialized. Some have traveled many miles to catch sight of that one bird but…oh, well.

In Search Of An Elusive Bird

The New York Times published a recent article that detailed the efforts of Peter Kaestner in spotting 10,000 species of birds in the wild. Currently, there are (as listed by eBird) 10,340 species in the world, which means that he has spotted a considerable number of birds. If he accomplishes this, he will be the top birder in history, certainly the first to have seen that many. Kaestner maintains a personal eBird list on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website (you can sign up for one too [here]). On his list, he is said to have nearly 9,800 sightings of specific birds. But not everyone has the drive of Kaestner. He is, after all, retired and can spend many hours waiting for just that one bird.  There is an incredible story of how he once hiked up the largest volcano (Mt. Kerinci) in Sumatra and lay in wait for nine hours to catch sight of a Schneider’s Pitta. He got the view that he wanted to check the pitta off the list. But he is patiently persistent, not a trait that some of us have. You can read an excellent article on Mr. Kaestner from Outside magazine here.

Historically, even James Audubon had his nemesis bird, the chestnut-sided warbler. He was a master at identifying birds by their song alone. Of course, during Audubon’s time, it is thought that the Warbler was less plentiful than it is today, and therefore harder to find. Binoculars were not in plentiful supply and certainly not at the power of lenses available today.

So…what is your “nemesis” bird that eludes you?

Nature and catastrophic events often go hand in hand. We have heard tales of hurricanes and efforts to protect aviaries and bird centers that were in the middle of them. We’ve witnessed the tragic event of the Australian bushfires that decimated many species of creatures, including threatening exotic birds that lived within the region and heavily depended upon the habitats that were destroyed. In many cases, these events are unavoidable and depend upon the bravery of people to bring help and support in the face of the events. Recently, the Lahaina region of the Hawaiian island of Maui experienced tragic loss of human life, of properties, and many creatures trapped by the raging fires caused by a downed power line and worsened by the arrival of Hurricane Dora.

Flames Fan Around Conservation Center

The Maui Bird Conservation Center, which is located about 2 and a half miles northeast of Kufa, a village in Maui, faced the threat of the flames as they approached the important Bird Conservation Center. Inside the center are contained some of the world’s rarest birds. To have to face such an additional existential threat is beyond imaginable as the center strives to preserve birds near extinction. But face the threat they did, and they did it with bravery beyond words.

Jennifer Pribble, a conservationist placed at the center by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, was awakened by a neighbor to the news of the approaching fire. To keep the center from being engulfed and destroyed, she and the neighbor managed hoses to prevent the flames from taking over. They also used fire extinguishers to help in the battle. Forty minutes later, fire personnel arrived to assist in the effort to prevent the spread of the fire that was only 150 feet from the doors.

Here’s why the Conservation Center is so important and the heroic actions of Jennifer Pribble, and the Center’s neighbor so laudable. The Center is home to threatened Hawaiian birds that are found nowhere else. In fact, the center houses the extinct in-the-wild alalā (Hawaiian Crow), and the rare ‘akikiki songbird (also called the Kauaʻi creeper songbird), whose population has been devastated by mosquitoes and malaria. There are around 80 of the rare birds kept here, with others housed in another facility on the island of Hawaii to prevent total devastation of the species.

After the fire was contained, the fear shifted to trees that had been engulfed by flames and that were in danger of falling onto the center. The birds were moved from the center to the barns to further ensure their safety. One of the aviaries and a building were damaged by falling trees, which prompted the removal of the birds until everything could be assessed for safety. After a week of firefighting, the blaze has been brought under control. The Conservation Center has been offered as a place of rest and shelter for rescue workers.

ALL the birds within the center are currently safe with much thanks to the critical thinking, prowess, and fast actions of the resident conservationist and the center’s neighbor. There are multiple ways of helping Maui in this time of need. There are links to Red Cross, the Maui Food Bank, the Maui Humane Society, and others that you may find with a quick search across the internet. We at Lafeber applaud the extraordinary bravery of all involved responders, including that of Jennifer Pribble and her neighbor.

The threat of extinction looms large over many species. We’re all uncomfortably aware that there are more than a few species of parrots near the extinction threshold, a line that we would rather not cross. Causality outlooks for many species range from disturbed habitats, climate disruption, invasive predators, and poachers who have helped deplete the natural population of a community of highly prized exotic birds. Scientists, conservationists, universities, and governments have worked hand in hand to help secure perfect solutions to the declining numbers of our birds.

DNA Sequencing To Boosts Numbers

One method of protection that bypasses the work of actual hands-on difficult work with existing parrots is that of DNA sequencing. Teams of scientists that are invested in the protection of birds (and other life that are being threatened) have taken to the internal coding of genetics to produce a pattern of information that could lead to a better understanding of the “at risk of extinction’” parrots. With this information, conservationists can more accurately put a finger on disease susceptibility, discover resistance to environmental fluctuations, and even how eggs respond in relation to where they are located.

Recently, Dr. Peter Dearden, a biochemist operating from the University of Otago (Dunedin, New Zealand), sequenced the DNA of many of the Kākāpō parrots in existence. This represents 169 of the birds with both living and stored samples accessed for the project. His collected genomic dataset for the parrot species could become essential in the survival probability of the Kākāpō. As the datasets are built upon with more DNA sequences of new chicks and others located but not sequenced, the reality of improved survivability could become a catalyst for possible uninhibited growth.

This is like having a vast database of direct-line medical information that can be referenced for probabilities in the occurrence of diseases for the human body. With such information available for conservationists, the Kākāpō parrot community gained a new tool in the continued efforts to increase its low population. The tool will be used to scan traits that are encouraging in the decision process of breeding. With knowledge of what works and what doesn’t, we should more easily witness an upsurge in the population of the challenged Kākāpō parrot. And not only Kākāpōs, but so many other life forms that need better understanding.

After a period of involvement, scientists at work in the “programming” of careful but effective breeding traits could watch an evolutionary process taking place. This would be a miraculous occurrence that could have an impact on any other living thing that needs to be redirected toward better situational events encouraging ideal conditions for survival.

Today, it is the use of datasets to determine better traits for survival. In the future, we might find pathways that more directly encourage the survival instincts of threatened species of all kinds.

Mid-August through mid-September are the months that many hummingbirds begin to migrate south for their wintering season. It is essential for migrating hummingbirds to get early starts to arrive at their intended warmer locations within a reasonable period of warmth. Most hummingbird migrations are routed in the central to eastern regions of the U.S. southward, although there are some Western hummers that move south as well. The ruby-throated hummingbird gets started as early as July, a bit too early for the rest. It is the sensing of lessening light in the daylight hours of the waning year that triggers the hummingbird’s migratory response to pack up and head south.

Fueling Up Fast Metabolisms

The primary purpose of this article is to alert our bird lovers to this annual, twice-a-year process. The placement, refill, and maintenance of hummingbird feeders help all these migratory species fuel up for the long trip they undertake for their betterment. With that in mind, it becomes essential for those who supply hummingbirds with feeders and the proper mixtures to be prepared to double up on the supply. Hummingbird flight paths require a lot of energy. By having to stop and naturally look for necessary nectars, and the fast movement of their wings, it’s recognizable that they burn a lot of energy. Because of this, hummingbirds often consume three times their weight to maintain their vigorous actions.

These birds fly from many northern regions of Canada and the US. They head towards destinations in the south of the U.S., Mexico, and Central America. Those of you who are already aware of the migration of hummingbirds know that these birds depend heavily on the feeders that are out for them. Some devoted birders even plant nectar-rich flowers in their yards for a more natural acquisition of fuel. (We salute and love you all!)

Offer An Assist

Now that you’re sufficiently aware of this upcoming migration, and you’re interested in assisting hummingbirds along their way, you can help by placing a few (more) feeders. Not only will you be gifted with a large display of species of hummingbirds passing through, but you can also help in logging their arrivals and what they feast on. Typically, it is reported that the male hummingbirds are the first to begin their journey. They are then followed by the female and the juvenile hummers that the females have nurtured. It is hoped that you alert agencies that monitor the migratory habits of the hummingbird. There are multiple sites on the internet that are interested in your reports. Did the birds use your feeders? Did they feed on flowers? All information goes a long way to better understanding migration patterns.

It’s important that you do not use store-bought red syrups, as these contain a chemical red dye that is difficult for the hummers to process. Instead, Audubon suggests a 1:4 concoction of a nectar solution, which means a quarter cup of refined white sugar mixed in with a cup of tap water. Do not use brown sugar, honey, or molasses as they contain other ingredients that can be harmful to the bird.

Keep feeders clean, especially during this period to avoid disease transmission. Clean them at least twice a week. Throw out all nectar before cleaning. However, it is best to clean feeders after every depletion especially if the feeders are in heavy use. Use only hot water to cleanse them.

Get your hummingbird feeders ready to help their fall (and spring 2024) migrations!

The glossy black cockatoo is a much-loved parrot that has an IUCN (International Union of the Conservation of Nature) designation of Vulnerable. Glossy black cockatoos are native to Australia and are threatened due to their reliance on trees for nesting. The trees are often cleared for development, and this puts the breeding capacity in danger. It’s no surprise that the spotlight often gets put on the black cockatoo. An author who has written two previous award-winning children’s books – Leonard The Lyrebird, and its follow-up, Lilah The Lyrebird – has a third book recently released named The Black Cockatoo With One Feather Blue. The author is Jodie McLeod.

Story Of A Special ‘Too

The Black Cockatoo With One Feather Blue tells the tale of a well-known black cockatoo who is best recognized for her one striking feature — one blue feather. One day, her blue feather comes up missing having been stolen. This leads the bird on a brief journey through the Australian Bush to locate it. Along the way, she encounters characters that change the search in the storyline. What starts as a lonely quest becomes a story of acquired friendships along the way and highlights the development and value of those friends as she looks for her one favorite thing. But as life will teach, she ends up learning that friendship and the kindness of others trump the value of materialism.

The book is illustrated by Eloise Short, a celebrated Australian Surface Pattern Designer and artist that draws inspiration from the environment making her contributions to the story a valued addition. The Black Cockatoo With One Feather Blue is now available for purchase and can be acquired from this link.

Leonard The Lyrebird has become a favorite in reading circles found at libraries. The book was adapted into a musical composition and has been widely represented on live television in Australia for the book’s positive message. It is expected that Jodie McLeod will replicate her previous successes with the arrival of her latest children’s book.

We’re enamored of the development of children by way of books, movies, and libraries, especially when that comes by way of the bird as a subject matter. When authors like Jodie McLeod create strong storylines like her three books have, we champion the effects they have on young lives and the smiles they put on older audiences’ faces. Occasionally, we like to bring such stories and events to your attention so that you can join us in our delight.

To explore more about Jodie McLeod, you can check out her Facebook page here. Or you can visit her established website here where you’ll find complete synopsis, reviews and praise, and extraordinary uses for her books.

Carrier Pigeons have played important roles in the history of the world. When message reception was not a reliable process in the past, the sought-after speed and distance covering of a bird carrying a message to important stops was initiated by training. War events have been won by a collection of fast-flying pigeons, birds that could ride the winds at super speeds of around 60 miles an hour, from ancient Greece and Egypt, where the birds were used to convey messages of events, on through to various wars where the reception of a message could alter the outcome of a battle. In Eastern India, there is the state of Odisha, where police still actively use carrier pigeons to travel messages between stations.

Modern-Day Winged Messengers

Odisha (once known as Orissa until 2011), one of 28 states in India, is the country’s eighth-largest state by area, and the country’s 11th-largest in population, making it a sizeable arena of citizenship. In 1946, the police units of Odisha opted to utilize reliable pigeons as a primary source of delivery. At the time, there were no phone lines or even telegraph systems in place.

The army of India provided the state with approximately 200 homing pigeons for it to try to establish useful communications between the stations. To date, the Odisha area still has the only method of message transport by carrier pigeon in use when compared with the world at large. And while this might seem an odd usage in today’s technological age, where cell phones are in use by so many, it was carrier pigeons that relayed valuable messaging as recently as 1980 and 1982, when the region was devastated by immense flooding events. In 1999, the pigeons proved just as reliable and essential when the region experienced the most destructive cyclone on record.

Fading Into History?

Today, the program currently in use by Odisha is being challenged. It is viewed as being a waste of money, with the convention of wireless messaging at an all-time high peak. But one must only look back at the not-too-distant events of flooding, a situation that Odisha is always under threat of, and the cyclone in 1999. Communications can be broken by weather and other extremes, thereby limiting valuable messaging. With the current staff of handlers and around 150 pigeons under their care, the usual governmental feud is with money. It is considered by government agencies as wasteful and is an often-targeted program for obsoletion. We hope the best not only for these heroic pigeons and their uncanny ability to find their way through the airways to deliver but also for their well-being.

Pigeons have strong instincts to zero in on a base. As such, they are in tune with the location where they recognize home to be. Being docile and easy to handle, makes the homing pigeon a perfect choice to carry messages, especially during periods of history where their use was of the utmost importance. And while the need is seemingly diminished in today’s world, their amazing abilities cannot be forgotten in a potential catastrophe of grid disengagement, a threat all too possible with terrorist/hacker attacks designed to disrupt forms of electronic transmissions.

Hats off to the Odisha collection of homing pigeons that are still in service.