Fond as I am of our feathered friends I admit to getting in a bit of a flap over the rapidly increasing number of pigeons (nok pilab) that have been descending on our residence in recent times. Some people call pigeons "rats with wings", others more generously "doves without the PR". I must confess to be leaning towards the first of those opinions.
It began harmlessly enough years ago with just a family of pigeons raiding the dog food bowl at the back of the house. Initially it was not a major concern but word soon spread among the pigeon community. They began arriving in squadrons and are becoming a real nuisance.
Getting rid of them is not easy. I quickly learned that clapping my hands and shouting "shoo!" was totally ineffective. Pigeons are smart creatures and can swiftly work out that handclaps are not gunshots.
Among the suggestions was placing a plastic owl at a strategic spot which might scare off the birds. I have written before how a reader, who after learning of my plight bought a large plastic owl in California and kindly sent it to me. The owl certainly had an imposing presence and the first few days there was no sign of the pigeons.
But it wasn't long before the pigeons figured out the owl was a fake and they renewed their raids on the dog food. When I looked out one day and spotted a pigeon sitting on the owl's head I knew the game was up.
Catcall
Maybe the answer is to get a cat. At least it would put to the test the literal meaning of the old expression "putting the cat amongst the pigeons". The problem with that of course is the dog hates cats and would not appreciate a moggy sniffing around his territory. Also some of the pigeons are so large I suspect most cats might think twice before having a punch-up with them.
Lest we forget
To be fair to the birds, I acknowledge that carrier pigeons were heroes in the two world wars and contributed to saving many lives.
One particular pigeon that acted above and beyond the call of duty in 1918 was Cher Ami (Dear Friend). Cher Ami made 12 successful flights from the front in France and Belgium, carrying important messages about troop deployment. On its last flight it was hit by a German bullet shortly after take-off. Despite enormous suffering, Cher Ami kept flying and eventually made it to the base where it crash-landed.
Soldiers found the bird on its back, covered in blood, blinded in one eye, a bullet hole through its breastbone and left leg. The message was still attached, dangling from Cher Ami's tendons. Miraculously the bird was still alive. Cher Ami was not a quitter.
The wounded bird became an immediate hero of the 77th Infantry Division. They could not save its leg but carved a wooden one, which was quite thoughtful. The French soldiers were also hugely impressed and Cher Ami was awarded the Croix de Guerre.
Stuffed in Washington
Cher Ami was eventually returned to the United States and was even seen off by the commander of the US Army, Gen John Pershing. The heroic pigeon was received with great acclaim, but sadly died a year later from its wounds. Cher Ami now sits proudly stuffed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.
Alas I don't think the pigeons that are pestering me in Bangkok are war heroes.
Dogs of war
Pigeons are not the only creatures to have performed heroically in wartime. Worthy of mention is Lucca, a US Marine Corps Alsatian who lost her front leg and suffered severe burns when she was blown up by a bomb while on patrol in Afghanistan 12 years ago.
The dog, which had carried out 400 missions in Afghanistan, was awarded the Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, at London's Wellington Barracks. According to the dog's handler "the explosion was huge and I immediately feared the worst for Lucca. She had saved my life on so many occasions".
Only moments before the explosion Lucca had discovered a 13kg bomb which would have wiped out the patrol.
Sgt Stubby
Dogs feature in many tales of wartime valour. In World War I there was an American bulldog called Stubby whose job was to sniff out the enemy in the trenches in France. He survived 18 battles which won him promotion to sergeant.
In 1918 Sgt Stubby was seriously wounded by an explosion but after a period of convalescence bravely returned to the trenches. Stubby was involved in numerous heroic exploits and returned to the US as a national hero. His courage eventually saw him awarded with a gold medal and a few choice bones.
Lost in Space
Anyone as ancient as me might remember Laika, the first dog in space back in 1957 aboard the Soviet Union's Sputnik 2. In the US the dog was dubbed "Muttnik". Unfortunately for Laika it was a one-way ticket as the USSR did not have the tech to get the module back to Earth. In animal-loving Britain they actually held a one-minute silence for Laika.
Since those original doggy flights all sorts of unfortunate creatures have whizzed around in space including mice, rats, tortoises, hamsters, squirrels, cats and even stick insects. Poor things.
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