Massed birds of prey as air cavalry during ancient/medieval times

Pigeon's can be trained, and can easily be bred in large numbers.

Train them to fly towards, and into the Enemy standard's (as in the design on their shields etc).

Strap a small contact bomb of Greek fire or gunpowder to them.

Hey presto! Killer birds, enemies killed by explosion, and none of that tedious mucking around figuring how to cast a cannon. Ideal for the Middle Ages.

Consider an early version of the Pigeon Guided Missile - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._F._Skinner#Pigeon_Guided_Missile
 
Most animals are not inclined to attack large numbers of large animals. Under some circumstances, an animal, particularly an adapted predator, will attack an animal larger than itself. But those are select cases. And there's very little evidence of going after numerically superior. .
Wolves
attack herds of buffalo, after all.
Lions do it too. And individual buffaloes are bigger than either wolf or lion.
 
I say we scrap this idea of "bird calvary" and return to discussing the plausibility and merits of bear calvary. :D
 
That kind of goes against the grain. Most animals are not inclined to attack large numbers of large animals. Under some circumstances, an animal, particularly an adapted predator, will attack an animal larger than itself. But those are select cases. And there's very little evidence of going after numerically superior. So I don't think that training could be achieved.

Other obstacles? First, there's going to be the difficulty of the birds in telling friend from foe. There's going to be huge logistical problems in managing numbers of birds, probably more than they're worth. And finally, it doesn't seem all that difficult to take countermeasures to minimize the threat.

As indicated in my original post, I basically agree with everything you say. My point was that, even if if were possible to acheive this level of training in raptors, it would be almost pointless.
 
Wolves
attack herds of buffalo, after all.
Lions do it too. And individual buffaloes are bigger than either wolf or lion.

However, wolves and lions are social, cooperative hunters. Birds of Prey not social and they do not naturally hunt in groups.
 
Cheer! An' we'll never march to victory.
Cheer! An' we'll never live to 'ear the cannon roar!
The Large Birds o' Prey
They will carry us away,
An' you'll never see your soldiers any more!


Kipling. Maybe different context
 
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