Birds. Are they real? Or a government drone watching our every move? The conspiracy theory that birds are government drones used to monitor and watch us has been a theory studied by conspiracy theorists for a while now. What started as satire, turned into asking a serious question of “what if?”
Theorists have used the history of carrier pigeons and society’s need to question governmental authority to push the narrative. Let’s take a dive into the history of carrier pigeons, a brave bird that was awarded the Animals in War and Peace Medal of Bravery and how modern day technology could make the theory possible.
Carrier Pigeons in History
If you have watched movies or shows set in ancient or medieval periods, you would most likely see pigeons being used as a form of communication. Most of these shows and movies are labeled as fantasy or science fiction, but carrier pigeons are no fantasy or some form of communication that was made up for princess movies or shows with dragons.
Carrier pigeons, also known as homing pigeons, have been used for communication purposes dating all the way back to ancient Rome and Egypt. Just like how you have seen in those movies and shows, people would write messages and put them in tiny capsules that attach to the pigeon’s leg. They would then send the pigeon off to deliver the written message to whomever it is for. But, how does a bird even know who to send the message to and where to go to deliver the information?
There is a simple answer to that question, training. People would provide the pigeon with food and water as well as safety and comfortability to have the pigeon establish a “home” base. Before the release of the pigeon, the bird would not receive food or water for almost 12 hours, making the bird hungry. People would use the bird’s hunger to train the pigeon by frequently releasing the bird, increasing the distance from the “home” base each time, to train the pigeon to fly back to its “home” to receive food and water. The bird knowing it will receive food and water at its established “home” base allows for the pigeon to always fly back.
Pigeons are a “one-way” kind of communication, so in order to send messages back and forth to someone, you would have to have two pigeons that have opposite “home” bases from one another that are well trained in distance.
Pigeons were not only used for personal communication but they were also used in the military as well. One brave pigeon actually received awards for their communication skills during World War I which can further allude to the idea that birds could carry government information now if they were able to do it back then with the little amount of technology available.
Cher Ami: The brave bird of 1918
Yes, we are not kidding or over exaggerating, there was in fact a brave carrier pigeon that helped resolve a life threatening situation. The brave pigeon’s name was Cher Ami, a black check cock homing pigeon whose communication efforts were used by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in World War I during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France.
This brave homing pigeon’s mission was to deliver a message from the men of the “Lost Battalion” to Mobile Loft No. 11 after they were surrounded by German forces and being bombarded with artillery from their own defenses. The message had the coordinates of the “Lost Battalion” and begged for their own forces to stop dropping artillery on them.
Cher Ami suffered some injuries on his 25 mile journey to deliver the message. The brave bird was shot through the breast, blinded in one eye and lost a leg but ultimately accomplished his mission in delivering the message to the Mobile Loft in 25 minutes despite his injuries. The message Cher Ami delivered ended up saving around 200 soldiers’ lives.
The brave little guy ended up passing away a year after his WWI efforts due to complications from his chest wound he received while delivering the message. The carrier pigeon was awarded the Croix de Guerre from the French Government as well as induction to the Racing Pigeons Hall of Fame in 1931. He also earned a gold medal from the Organized Bodies of American Pigeon Fanciers and received the Animals in War and Peace Medal of Bravery.
Pigeons have been carrying information and messages for a very long time now, obviously. So if they were able to carry information in a time when technology wasn’t as advanced as it is now, is it so crazy to believe that in our technologically advanced time there are some birds that actually aren’t real and are government drones taking in information and reporting back?
Growth of the Bird Conspiracy Theories Today
If you are chronically online, then you might remember the #BirdsAren’tReal movement from 2017. It was a satirical, humorous movement that was started by Peter Mclndoe that claimed birds to be government surveillance drones and planted this idea that all the “real” birds were terminated between the 1950s and the 1970s.
While the movement started as satire and a way to make fun of conspiracy theories in general, it ended up turning into something much bigger. The claims spread through social media with people creating memes and videos using the slogan and hashtag “Birds Aren’t Real” to further push the satirical theory. There were billboards, merchandise and news articles covering the movement and the way satire and parody can be used to push certain theories. But some conspiracy theorists have used the movement to raise the question of if birds are in fact real.
The research done by some and the spread of its information has led people to question government surveillance today and how modern technology could make this theory possible. After all, carrier pigeons have been a real thing in our history. So, if pigeons were used to carry information before, could they do it again in a different and more technologically advanced way? We would like to believe that could be true.
The interest in such a theory, especially with the rise in the number of people not trusting the government and the need to question governmental authority has really set this conspiracy in motion. Conspiracy theorists have used the history of carrier pigeons as a form of proof and leverage to push the idea. While we all know it is impossible and environmentally detrimental to wipe out all birds, it isn’t so crazy to think that a small number of “birds” could be drones.
Let’s put this idea in perspective. A small number of bird-like drones could be stationed in high crime cities, places with high population density and government bases or areas like Washington D.C. or Area 51. Having only a small amount would be more maintainable financially and our government would have more control over the few drones compared to about 7.2 billion bird-like drones.
With these bird-like drones set in these kinds of locations and environments, the government could monitor crime, keep an eye on very populated events from sports, gatherings, parades, protest, etc. With only a small amount of them, it will be easy for the government to keep track of each one and having the drones look like birds makes them blend in with nature, tricking people into not noticing they are being watched. The drones could also be solar powered to avoid having to constantly bring the “birds” in to charge.
With the history of birds getting and delivering information combined with our current technology, the idea of some birds really being drones that the government uses to monitor citizens, cities and events seems more possible than society might want to believe.
In Conclusion
Birds, specifically pigeons, have been used to carry messages and information since ancient Rome and Egypt. They have been used to send personal messages between people and important information during battles and wars. Some carrier pigeons have also been awarded medals for their bravery and efforts in delivering messages.
The growth in our technological advancements as well as modern day societies need to question governmental authority has led to the growth of this conspiracy that birds are government drones to keep tabs on information they need. While the annihilation of all birds is quite impossible, it is possible to believe that the government may have some drones that look like birds to get information and monitor high populated places, cities with high crime rates and government areas or bases.
In a nutshell, pigeons are real but some could be drones. Next time you see a pigeon, smile and wave, you could be on camera (or just waving crazy at a bird).
If you found the contents of this blog interesting, make sure to share with friends or conspiracy lovers who you know will enjoy it. If you are interested in seeing Cher Ami, the homing pigeon, you can visit him at the Smithsonian where he was taxidermied and put on display.
