carrier-pigeon
Winged mail service
A carrier-pigeon is a homing pigeon trained to carry messages, historically used for military and commercial communication before telegraphs and telephones.
The birds navigate back to their home loft from distant locations, with small notes attached to their legs.
The besieged city relied on carrier-pigeons to communicate with allied forces.
The term now sounds quaint, sometimes used figuratively for any messenger.
Gentle cooing bird
- feathersBird's lightweight covering
- wingsLimbs for flight
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
- beakHorny avian mouthpart
cooing · flock · roost · perch · aviary · breeding · loft · coop
Determining position and course
- instinctInnate behavioral tendency
- orientationPosition relative to surroundings
- returnGo back again
- compassDevice showing cardinal directions
landmark · wayfinding · destination · release · training · long-distance · endurance · reliability
dove
Gentle cooing bird
beak · cooing · flock · roost · perch · aviary · breeding · loft · coop · domesticated
navigation
Determining position and course
- instinctInnate behavioral tendency
- orientationPosition relative to surroundings
- returnGo back again
compass · landmark · wayfinding · destination · release · training · long-distance · endurance · reliability · faithful
message
Transmitted communication
- letterWritten symbol or message
- dispatchSend with speed
- correspondenceExchanged written communication
courier · delivery · capsule · canister · scroll · encoded · cipher · intelligence · news · bulletin
ancient
Very old indeed
siege · battlefield · WWI · WWII · war-hero · medal · Reuters · obsolete · predecessor · telegraph
carrier-pigeoninstant messaging
Live online text communication
email · text message · satellite communication · 5G network · broadband internet
carrier-pigeondrone
Unmanned flying machine
delivery robot · satellite relay · autonomous vehicle · unmanned aerial vehicle
carrier-pigeoncertified mail
Tracked, receipt-confirmed postage
registered post · encrypted message · guaranteed delivery · read receipt
carrier, pigeon, carry, carries, carried, carrying, carriage, carriages, carriers