They may be scowled upon today for their brazen dominance in urban centers, but once upon a time homing pigeons were cherished birds bred and trained by avid "fanciers." In the early days of World War II, as the German blitzkrieg roared across Western Europe, Britain's intelligence agencies transformed these unassuming birds into "covert operatives" tasked with collecting vital intel from occupied Belgium. Sound too preposterous to be true? Prepare to be fascinated by this unique history of wartime resistance! It is a multifaceted tale: an absorbing "biography" of Britain's Secret Pigeon Service paired with the little-known story of Leopold Vindictive, a Belgian resistance network inspired by the pigeon couriers and created to combat the Nazi invaders. You'll never look at pigeons in the park the same way again!