Thursday, June 18, 2026
Pigeons were once the only reliable way this location sent mail
A New Zealand island moved correspondence by bird for a decade
More than 100 years ago, pigeons carrying mail ruled the skies between New Zealand’s Great Barrier Island and the mainland.
In 1896, a reporter visiting the island on assignment brought with him a pigeon belonging to pigeon fancier Walter Fricker to fly his story back to the newspaper in Auckland rather than wait for arrival of the next transport ship.
The bird made the 60-mile trip in less than two hours.
A year later, Fricker established the Great Barrier Pigeongram Agency, which is often credited as the world’s first regular commercial airmail service. If offered island residents the opportunity to send correspondence at a pace faster than the weekly steamer ship visit provided.
Fricker’s company was soon joined by competing pigeon post services, leading to some confusion and another innovation: the first airmail stamps. The stamps were used to distinguish the services from one another and are prized by collectors.
Birds were sent to the island weekly by boat and flew back to Auckland with up to five messages per bird written on tissue paper and attached to their legs. The birds were trained to fly the reverse route, but it cost twice as much to send messages from the mainland this way.
Pigeon mail flourished until 1908 when the first telegraph cables were laid between Great Barrier Island and the mainland, making the service unnecessary.
Daily flights now transport mail and packages to and from the island.
Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column.
Off the Clock
Even at 69 years old, he can still jink
This USPS employee plays field hockey all over the world
My name is Paramjit Singh and I am a vehicle operations assistant at the San Francisco Network Distribution Center.
I was born in the village of Sattowal in India. My family there have always been farmers and members of the military, but I knew I wasn’t cut out for that.
After attending a local university, I left home at 22 and got a job in Germany. I traveled and lived in several other countries, and then I came to the United States in 1984 and settled in the San Francisco area.
I joined the Postal Service in 2002. I began as a truck driver and then switched to dispatching.
I like what I do, but my passion is field hockey. As a boy, I played in India, where the sport is very popular, but I did so just for fun. When I lived in Germany, I started playing in a league for competitive players 35 and older — and that’s when I fell in love with it.
I’ve kept playing ever since, including pickup games every weekend and in local tournaments. I also proudly represent the United States in international tournaments, including Barcelona, Spain, in 2018 and Tokyo in 2022. In March, I played in Nottingham, England.
I’ve helped coach a local high school team when my schedule allows, and I help with the local clubs.
I’m 69, and physical fitness is still important to me. Hockey keeps me healthy. It’s lots of cardio, but it’s not too hard on your body.
You should stay active as long as you can, and you should enjoy your life. Never give up the things you love. That’s what keeps you alive.
I was 45 when I played in my first hockey World Cup. My wife said I was crazy. What can I say? You love what you love. For me, it’s hockey.
I will play until my last breath.
“Off the Clock,” a column on Postal Service employees and their after-hours pursuits, appears regularly in Link.
Mail
A third cheer for Postcrossing
Another reader expresses appreciation for new stamp
Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column.
USPS publishes guidebook on 250th celebration
The Postal Service has created a 12-page guidebook about how the organization is celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The “United States 250th Anniversary Guide” includes information on activities at the more than 60 historical Post Offices that were operating in 1776 and are still open today. It also has sections about signage, collection box wraps, the national cancellation, pictorial postmarks, commemorative merchandise and more.
The guidebook can be downloaded from the Postal Communicator’s Toolbox page on Blue.
Atlantic Area, ME-NH-VT District on top in scanning
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.2 percent during the week ending June 12, down 0.41 percent from one week earlier.
The data was collected June 17.
Atlantic led the four areas with a rating of 97.32 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 97.07 percent rating.
Among the 50 districts, Maine-New Hampshire-Vermont, part of Atlantic Area, ranked first with a 98.47 percent rating, while Alaska, part of WestPac Area, ranked last with a 94.09 percent rating.
Scanning data allows customers to track their mail and packages, which helps USPS deliver excellent service, boost loyalty and drive revenue.
To see the latest data, go to the Informed Visibility website and select “Customer Experience,” followed by “DES 2 Scan Performance.” Postal Service employees must request Informed Visibility access through eAccess.
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Pigeons were once the only reliable way this location sent mail
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Off the Clock
Even at 69 years old, he can still jink
This USPS employee plays field hockey all over the world
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Mail
Featured reader quote
“I am so happy to see this Postcrossing stamp! I joined this community years ago. I have enjoyed sending and receiving interesting postcards from around the world.”
— Crystal Reedy, Newcomb, MD
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Brief
USPS publishes guidebook on 250th celebration
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Brief
Atlantic Area, ME-NH-VT District on top in scanning