A Pigeon Army? Adorable Pic Of Interrupted ‘Briefing’ Goes Viral

Have you ever seen a pigeon army?

People living and working in metropolitan areas — such as New York City — are probably very used to seeing groups of pigeons.

Some may see these birds on buildings, light poles, power cables, rooftops, etc. However, chances are that you haven’t seen a pigeon “army” assembled on the road.

Reddit user RotidderReddit apparently stumbled upon a pigeon army of sorts that appears to be holding a well-structured meeting. A line of four pigeons are lined up on the curb of a median — spaced out equally apart from one another. The pigeon standing out on his own, facing them front and center, appears to be a commander or leader of sorts.

The Reddit user posted this now-viral picture on the popular website Wednesday. It did not take very long for the pigeon picture to shoot towards the top of the list of trending items. As of right now, it is in third place with over 5,500 upvotes.

Are pigeons capable of assembling an actual army or team just like humans?

According to the Pigeon Control Resource Center, the pigeon is one of the most intelligent birds in the world.

The report states that pigeons are able to undertake certain tasks that past studies only thought humans and primates were capable of doing.

Have you ever heard of the “mirror test?” To pass this test, you essentially need to recognize your own reflection when staring into a mirror. Most species — especially non-mammals — fail at this particular test. However, the pigeon is reportedly one of only six species capable of passing this test successfully.

“The pigeon can also recognize all 26 letters of the English language as well as being able to conceptualize… Pigeons have been found to be able to differentiate between photographs and even differentiate between two different human beings in a photograph when rewarded with food or doing so.”

Throughout history, the existence and presence of pigeons have dated all the way back to 3000 BC. They have been referenced in the Bible and in history books when it comes to serving as war heroes and messengers.

Even though we will never be able to communicate directly with pigeons, chances are that forming armies and teams is within their natural range of intelligence.

At the very least, it is definitely something to wonder about, especially when you see viral pictures of pigeon armies having “briefings” like this one.

[Image Credit: Dollar Photo Club & Reddit]