Context: Birds have been domesticated by humans both as pets and for practical purposes. Colourful birds, such as parrots and mynas, are bred in captivity or kept as pets, a practice that has led to the illegal trafficking of some endangered species. Falcons and cormorants have long been used for hunting and fishing, respectively. Messenger pigeons, used since at least 1 AD, remained important as recently as World War II. Today, such activities are more common either as hobbies, for entertainment and tourism, or for sports such as pigeon racing.

Question: Why have birds been domesticated by humans?
Answer: both as pets and for practical purposes

Question: What type of birds are bred in captivity or kept as pets?
Answer: Colourful birds

Question: How long have messenger pigeons been used?
Answer: since at least 1 AD