EnviroFunFact

Pigeons are most widely known for making a mess of statues and buildings; and, are considered a nuisance. Some people even think of them as winged rats; but, they are intelligent and have been taught to distinguish, among other things, between cubist and impressionist paintings.

Pigeons also have excellent eyesight and are known for their ability to see great distances. During the 1980's, the US Coast Guard experimented with training pigeons to recognize objects floating in the water. The idea was that these pigeons could be used in search and rescue. The birds proved to be 93% accurate in tests, compared with 38% for humans. Unfortunately, the research was discontinued in 1983 due to federal budget cuts.