ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

The roles of the sun and the landscape in pigeon homing | JoVE Visualize

Home
Research Domains
Physical Sciences

The roles of the sun and the landscape in pigeon homing

Wallraff¹, Chappell, Guilford

¹Max-Planck-Institut für Verhaltensphysiologie, D-82319 Seewiesen, Germany and Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK. wallraff@mpi-seewiesen.mpg.de

The Journal of Experimental Biology|July 20, 1999

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Pigeons use familiar visual landmarks for navigation, which can sometimes conflict with their sun compass. This visual landscape information influences their homing behavior and orientation patterns.

Area of Science:

Animal Behavior
Navigation and Orientation
Avian Ecology

Background:

Pigeons are known to use various cues for homing, including the sun compass and olfactory information.
The role of visual landscape features in pigeon homing over familiar terrain has been hypothesized but is difficult to experimentally verify.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the influence of familiar visual landscape features on pigeon homing orientation.
To determine if visual landmarks can conflict with the sun compass, affecting initial orientation.

Main Methods:

Releasing pigeons under clock-shift conditions in familiar and unfamiliar areas.
Eliminating non-visual navigational cues (odors) to isolate visual influences.
Observing initial orientation patterns and return times.

Main Results:

Clock-shift deflections were smaller in familiar areas, suggesting a conflict between visual landmarks and the sun compass.
Repeated clock-shifts or odor elimination intensified the influence of visual landmarks.
Pigeons previewing familiar scenery before release showed accelerated returns, supporting the role of visual cues.

Conclusions:

Familiar visual landscape features are integral to the pigeon homing system.
Visual landmarks can both aid and distract pigeons, contributing to variability in orientation.
The interaction between visual cues and the sun compass is crucial for understanding pigeon navigation.

Astronomical Sciences

The Roles Of The Sun And The Landscape In Pigeon Homing