Swimming Pigeon?!

[paddyhasneeds]

Just been for a lengthy walk and whilst passing a large local pond/pool I saw something in the water that didn't quite look right.

Then I realised it was a pigeon that seemed to be doing a pretty good impression of a Duck, before it flapped it wings and took off.

I've not seen anything like that, I know birds like bird baths and water features but I've never seen one land on "open water" before.

[Pigeon]

Pigeons love water, and while it is unusual to see one going as far as actually swimming rather than just farting about in the water, they are nevertheless quite good at it.

[soad]

Well, I have never seen that.

Maybe was just trying its own variation of a cooling off?

[Sheets Tabuer]

I think originally before we built cities etc they lived on sea cliffs so I'd imagine they are quite good swimmers.

[Japveesix]

When the Fantail Pigeons arrive in the UK on migration from Australia they often land in the sea around Weston-Super-Mare and then swim in with the tide on to the beach. I think it helps them to cool down after such a long flight.

[rolex]

During the war pigeons were trained to swim underwater with
explosives strapped to their backs. The theory being they would
explode underneath enemy shipping. Unfortunately they failed
to take into account their homing instincts and several allied
destroyers were blown up.

[Silent1]

rolex said:

During the war pigeons were trained to swim underwater with
explosives strapped to their backs. The theory being they would
explode underneath enemy shipping. Unfortunately they failed
to take into account their homing instincts and several allied
destroyers were blown up.

Proof or i call bks

[Pigeon]

It is bks.

[dougc]

Pigeon Missile!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Pigeon

[essexplumber]

OZ to the UK!!! A pidgeon? How fking long must that take?

[cazzer]

The russians did do dog bombs though...
Training dogs to find food under tanks
The idea being to strat contact mines to their backs.

Trouble was, being russians, they only had russian tanks to train them with....not a very successful first mission.

So the story goes.

[Summertime]

And the americans trained bats to carry fire bombs for ww2 until it went t1ts up!

[stemll]

And the dolphins that the Americans trained to hunt mines. When they were released in the Gulf they promptly just swam away never to be seen again

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/03/29/iraq/mai...

[sadako]

Summertime said:

And the americans trained bats to carry fire bombs for ww2 until it went t1ts up!

Actually the batbomb was quite successful on its only test firing but funding was dropped in favour of the nuke. They did have a small fire during development but it was nothing serious.

The device worked because the bats inside the bomb were kept in hibernation, and when dropped the bomb would parachute down, opening up into trays of bats, which would wake up, leave the tray, triggering the time delay fuse and immediately try to roost in the eves of the wooden Japanese houses, much more effective than carpetbombing incendiaries...

[Famous Graham]

Pigeon said:

just farting about in the water

Propulsion?

[BliarOut]

Pigeon said:

Pigeons love water, and while it is unusual to see one going as far as actually swimming rather than just farting about in the water, they are nevertheless quite good at it.

Do they drown if you chuck a bucket of water over their heads? I only ask as a couple of kids did this on holiday and the pig seemed to croak

[Bill]

essexplumber said:

OZ to the UK!!! A pidgeon? How fking long must that take?

And why would they bother? Given that they don't originate in either country...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantail_(pigeon)

But if you google "fantail pigeon migration" this thread is the second hit

[GTIR]

BliarOut said:

Pigeon said:

Pigeons love water, and while it is unusual to see one going as far as actually swimming rather than just farting about in the water, they are nevertheless quite good at it.

Do they drown if you chuck a bucket of water over their heads? I only ask as a couple of kids did this on holiday and the pig seemed to croak

So are you talking about a pig or frog?

[Japveesix]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantail_%28pigeon%29

Having read this wiki page it seems to agree with my understanding of the fantail migration, known to be one of the longest pigeon migration in the world.