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Post Info TOPIC: trained hawks


Corporal

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trained hawks
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Hi guys

I'm reading a book Animals In War by Jilly Cooper in this there is a passages on hawks trained by the Germans to kill (post)pigeons both in WW1 and WW2, anybody know more on this? Where and which troop had hawks? Did the allies used hawks to hunt for pigeons?

Thanks Patrick

-- Edited by poky on Tuesday 5th of May 2009 10:33:46 PM

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Commander in Chief

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Sorry, never heard such a thing. Neither WW1 nor WW2.

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Legend

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I must admit I haven't heard that before, but I don't suppose it can be ruled out. At the Great Exhibition in 1851 the hall became infested with sparrows that nested in the roof and began pooping on the exhibits and visitors. Shooting them was out of the question, since the building was made predominantly of glass. The answer, suggested by the Duke of Wellington, was sparrowhawks. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the Germans experimented with the idea.

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Legend

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Yes it seems somewhat bizarre, but is it more bizarre then straping a camara to a pidgeon... some enterprising german officers may well have brought their hunting hawks to the front just in case....

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=874

here you can find a pic taken by a pidgeon over dresden 1909...

http://northstargallery.com/aerialphotography/History%20Aerial%20Photography/history.htm

This is quite interesting its called "Birds on the Western Front" I suspect many a carrier pidgeon was caught by one of those hawks...

http://www.combat.ws/S4/LIBRARY/BIRDS.HTM

Cheersbiggrin



-- Edited by Ironsides on Wednesday 6th of May 2009 09:58:35 PM

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Corporal

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hi guys to bad it was along shot I will try on the axis history forum maybe they know something on the WW2 part of the story.

Patrick

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Hero

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... and just how would the hunting hawks differentiate between an allied , or German trained message bird ?  ... the supposition appears a bit silly.....

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Commander in Chief

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What made me suspicious about this was the author. I think she is known for horsey romance novels, the so-called 'aga sagas'.

However, I wish I was better with photoshop, or maybe even had a copy, as I would like to see carrier pigeons with wing markings, and maybe a bright red hawk with a large number of tally marks.

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Legend

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The hawk is under the control of its trainer to a certain extent identification is easy as homing pidgeons will only fly in one direction...Home.... so if its flying towards the allied lines its an allied bird and fair game and vice versa, I think a shotgun would be more appropriate..... of course you can allways send in The Vulture Squadron...

Cheerssmile

-- Edited by Ironsides on Friday 8th of May 2009 06:56:14 PM

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Commander in Chief

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Nab him! Jab him! Stab him! Grab him!









-- Edited by philthydirtyanimal on Saturday 9th of May 2009 12:38:26 AM

-- Edited by philthydirtyanimal on Saturday 9th of May 2009 12:43:20 AM

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Corporal

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stop that pigeon now

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Corporal

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hi guys so far people have read it before but no idea if its true

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=152837

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Corporal

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