How pigeons were used to deliver messages in ancient times?

When I was moving around a park two days ago, I saw some pigeons were eating something in the park. Probably they will be domestic pigeons. If you look back in history, you find that domestic pigeons were greatly used in post service and war zones to deliver messages. They are generally known as “pigeon post” or “war pigeon”. When the pigeons used in simple post service were called “pigeon post” and during war period they are known as “war pigeon”.

https://images.hive.blog/DQmesjkn3ENZhQVUZtCgFWzvzRD6zojEfCufQecuaXd7Bnc/IMG_20200602_123620.jpg

Domestic pigeons are known for their natural homing abilities that help them remember the way home. After reading several articles, I found that homing pigeons are expert in carrying messages from a long distance to home where they live.

https://images.hive.blog/DQmNURbgihas5QgyKFNZ6oxVgEc9RZ3kESmzhKsuBSXvmZx/IMG_20200602_123635.jpg

I don’t know whether they can deliver messages from home to another destination. However, these abilities of pigeons were greatly used in First and Second World War. According to this info, more than 500,000 pigeons worldwide were involved in First World War to deliver messages from one place to another.

https://images.hive.blog/DQmefN7VcPw7pCMH2vLuo6CmQPPkYQoPJt6yMqhJ7vujXq3/IMG_20200602_123734.jpg

There was a homing pigeon called Cher Ami who saved a whole French battalion during First World War despite being injured. After this incident, the bird was honored with a service cross.

https://images.hive.blog/DQmTWBkmBzEsifJarJJRuj3DNdZCQaSpcBZiwHTTneY52cz/IMG_20200602_123702.jpg

Nowadays, technology replaced the need of birds and other animals in delivering messages. In absence of telecom services, we generally used Inland to send messages to a long distance. But now the use of Inland is also closed because of mobile device and email technology. However, I don’t know what technologies are currently used to establish communication in military bases.