信鸽是原鸽经过人类有选择的驯化、培育产生的一个变种，能够经过长途飞行归巢。野生原鸽天生就具有归巢的能力，这意味着它能返回自己的鸟巢并与它的配偶会合。人类利用鸽子的这种能力，将其驯化后用于传递消息。信鸽在比赛里曾经创下飞越3500千米后归巢的纪录,由中国爱好者从上海放飞哈密。科学家曾经测定中等距离下信鸽的平均飞行速度大约为48千米每小时，并观察到的最快飞行速度达到95千米每小时。但是实际比赛中，这个纪录被远远地超越了。美国赛鸽联盟AU(American Racing Pigeon Union)的纪录库显示，2004年3月27日，一只赛鸽以2957.58码/分，约合162千米每小时的速度从约164公里外返回。

The homing pigeon is a variety of domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica) derived from the rock pigeon, selectively bred for its ability to find its way home over extremely long distances. The wild rock pigeon has an innate homing ability, meaning that it will generally return to its nest, using magnetoreception. This made it relatively easy to breed from the birds that repeatedly found their way home over long distances. Flights as long as 1,800 km (1,100 miles) have been recorded by birds in competitive pigeon racing. Their average flying speed over moderate distances is around 80 km/h (50 miles per hour) but speeds of up to 140 km/h (90 miles per hour) have been observed in top racers for short distances.