faq
Are there any records that definitively document Chère Amie’s sex?
They seem to be lost or destroyed. Given how hard it is to determine the sex of a living pigeon, the taxidermy records would be the best source. The Smithsonian does have a collection of taxidermy log books but none from Chère Amie’s time.
What evidence supports the claim that Chère Amie is female?
There is a strong oral history record supporting the claim. For example, the book Pigeon Heroes, published in 1944 by Marion B. Cothren had a forward by Captain Daivid C. Buscall, the officer in charge of Pigeon Service during WWI. If anyone knew the true story, it was probably him! The book refers to Chère Amie as a female. Moreover, the US Army refers to her as a hen in their publications, noting her original identification as male and the correction upon taxidermy.
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Then why does the Smithsonian identify her as male?
The Smithsonian has said that because the only written documentation they have was Chère Amie’s registration, which referred to her as a male, they are going with that. But, the registration was done when she started her service—long before her taxidermy—and was based on someone’s best guess.
Are there other ways to determine a pigeon’s sex?
The sex could probably be determined with a DNA sample. Avian DNA tests seem to cost $12 online. But, I'm no scientist. The Smithsonian would know much more about whether that could work.
Aren’t there more important things to worry about?
Yes! There really, really are. If you have to make a choice, take action on the more important things, no joke. If you can do both, there’s a chance it does matter. After all, it’s the year 2018! If we can’t entertain the idea that an avian war hero could be female…well, then, I just don’t know...
