Sit down and get comfy for some pigeon education. If you didn’t believe before, you will now.
1903 – The Invention
Surprisingly, pigeon surveillance came almost as early as the camera. A German pharmacist named Julius Neubronner used pigeons as messengers. To find out where they flew, he designed a specially adapted rig that would snap photos on a timer. Pigeon photographs were born.
1907 – The Impossible
Neubronner applied for a patent for his pigeon surveillance methods. It was rejected because he had no proof, deemed ‘impossible’.
1908 – The Proof
With photographic evidence, Neubronner proved his pigeons could take photographs. The patent was granted.
1914 – WW1
The war came and due to Neubronner’s patent, the government were now aware of pigeon surveillance. Pigeons were successfully used to take reconnaissance images behind enemy lines. Military funding continually improved the technology.
1970 – CIA
Quite a jump here and we don’t know why but fast forward to 1970 and pigeon surveillance has been adopted by the CIA. These records are on the cia.gov website. Unfortunately “Details of pigeon missions are still classified.” Take a look for yourself.
1987 – Margaret Thatcher
Britain was reeling from dozens of IRA attacks in both Northern Ireland and mainland Britain. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher learned of surveillance pigeons from US President Ronald Reagan.
1990 – Pigeon Purge
Thatcher’s pigeon purge began – known among some as the Cootastrophe, it heralded the mass takeover of city centre pigeons in mainland Britain (the purge in Northern Ireland only began in 1998, thanks to the Good Friday agreement).
2019 – The Future Is Now
Fast forward to the modern day and the majority of humans wouldn’t know a surveillance drone if it hit them in the face. Years of biotechnological advancements and here we are. Surveillance pigeons, recruited by the government to invade your privacy.
Now if you don’t believe anything I have said, please go and look it up for yourself. Bar my confidential sources in the government I have the same access to information as you. It is literally there in front of you. They strut around the streets, they perch on your windowsills.
Pigeons Aren’t Real
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