American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition - n. A pigeon trained to return to its home roost. - n.
A variety of domesticated rock pigeon (Columba livia) that has
been selectively bred to be able to find its way home over
extremely long distances. GNU Webster's 1913 - adj. any pigeon
trained to return home from a distance. Also called carrier
pigeon. Most are bred from the domestic pigeon Columba livia.
Homing pigeons are used for sending back messages or for flying
races. By carrying the birds away and releasing them at
gradually increasing distances from home, they may be trained to
return with more or less certainty and promptness from distances
up to four or five hundred miles. The birds typically do not
stop on their way home, and may average as much as 60 miles per
hour on their return trip. If the distance is increased much
beyond 400 miles, the birds are unable to cover it without
stopping for a prolonged rest, and their return becomes
doubtful. The record for returnig from a