Pigeon at Eiffel

Pigeon at Eiffel

Gear: Nikon D7200 with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR
Focal Length: cropped from 18mm (35mm equivalent ~ 27mm)
Location: Eiffel Tower, Paris, Francce
Exif: f/3.5, 1/250 sec, ISO 200

   Most of the Pigeons in Paris are believed to be distant descendants of the heroic mail pigeons who were the only means of communication between a besieged Paris and rest of the France for four months from October 1870 to January 1871, during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71. It is said that during this time more than a million messages had been successfully delivered by this airmail, despite being shot at by the Prussian forces and hunted by their falconers, who were drafted in their army as a countermeasure to this creative Parisian mail service. Other European armies noticed this success and soon all of them had a pigeon section. Post war, many of them were auctioned off by the French State.

   

    But be warned, to feed the stray Pigeons in Paris today is illegal and can lead to a fine of upto Euro 450.