PLA recruits first domestic homing pigeons

(ECNS) -- A military homing pigeon team in Chengdu, Sichuan province, has for the first time recruited new domestic members, people.cn reported.

Pigeons that are recruited must fly very fast and be able to find precise locations, said Zhang Zhiquan, head of the team.

Wu Jia, whose job it is to train the homing pigeons, said these birds avoid threats like that from eagles by flying very high.

Eagles swoop downwards very rapidly but ascend slowly; by contrast, pigeons fly upwards very quickly, he explained.

After two months training, only pigeons that pass tests in stamina, courage and obedience are made full members.

In the digital era, the tradition of using carrier pigeons is maintained by the military because the birds are not easily interfered with by human activity and can accurately deliver messages to precise locations, experts have stated.