How Do Homing Pigeons Navigate? They Follow Roads

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 2-5-2004 | Caroline Davies

[blam]

Damn lazy birds.

[blam]

[Spruce]

They just know where the food is. Snacking all the way home.

[Semper911]

That map is interesting (as is the research.)

But they said they released the birds some distance away from their loft and then tracked their journey back. So the birds must have been driven to the release point... along that road!

Is it possible the birds were driven along that road, and they somehow have a way to simply retrace their route? Some sort of geographic memory system, maybe?

[blam]

"Is it possible the birds were driven along that road, and they somehow have a way to simply retrace their route? Some sort of geographic memory system, maybe?"

Interesting. I hadn't considered that.

[Riley]

They're flying IFR.

"I Follow Roads".

[Howie66]

So just what did they do BEFORE there were roads?

[dwilli]

That was my first question. How did the follow the roadsigns before there were roadsigns?

[LibWhacker]

We even had one bird flying down the road, going round the roundabout . . .

Sounds like they're better drivers than some of the people I see out there!

[DoughtyOne]

Interesting premise Semper911... It would be advisable for them to transport a variety of ways to the release point, then see how close to the delivery method they retraced.

Checking out the route shown this time, it's clear the birds tried to use the ramps. Were those the ramps the delivery truck used? They just may be.

[OldEagle]

AND...they read the signs.

[Johnny_Cipher]

So just what did they do BEFORE there were roads?

Took the bus?

[Howie66]

God knows that I love you guys.....what a bunch of "smart-butts"..... LOL

[Young Werther]

A Scientific American article, some years ago, described an experiment where they determined how a particular specie of bird migrated from North America across the Caribbeane (sic) to northern South America. The scientists placed these birds in bowls with a top dome which had star patterns. They were confined and their bio clock was fooled by a day night cycle which waw not the usual 24 hours. Since these birds will migrate during "mating season" their genetalia were measured to determine if they were ready to head south. You see a bird's gonads are abour 1% of body weight during the "off season" and 5% during the rut!!!

Well when their clock had been reset they were provided a star field on the bowl above their head. As the birds tried to jump for liftoff their tracks were recorded on carbon paper on the sides of the bowl. It was evident that their attempts to migrate were influenced by the star field, (and their gonads!!!)

Maybe they stop at road houses along the way but......

I know this post will get many of you freepers hot and bothered but if your gonads grow to 5% of your body weight don't say I didn't warn you heh! heh!

[Johnny_Cipher]

I know this post will get many of you freepers hot and bothered but if your gonads grow to 5% of your body weight don't say I didn't warn you

A good object lesson. Remember kids, NEVER let your b**** overload your brains.

[Ophiucus]

Is it possible the birds were driven along that road, and they somehow have a way to simply retrace their route? Some sort of geographic memory system, maybe?

That's a good question - have to check their methods. If they were like anything I saw in school, the cages were covered while they traveled and they used different routes to the release points.

Some animals have been shown to use visual cues in internal map making. I remember reading one study of squirrels and nut caching. The researchers modeled a cage with a couple trees, rocks, bushes etc and watched where the squirrels cached their nuts. Then they moved everything a meter to the left and watched where the squirrels went to retrieve the nuts when let back in the cage - all the squirrels were a meter off.

So probably the pigeons are using visual aids in their "maps" and you can't get much more visual than looking down and seeing really big lines on the ground.

[expatpat]

IFR -- LOL. Actually, umless its a freeway, it's not difficult to get confused about which road is which if you use this kind of IFR. Of course, the birds are flying lower....

[Johnny_Cipher]

I have a special interest in pigeon stories, for I used to race one. And yes, his name was "Walter."

[LTCJ]

Just wow. IFR.

Notice on the map that the pigeon appears to have taken the wrong left, backtracked, and then took the next left.

Wow. Who woulda thunk it?

I Fly Roads.

[Ophiucus]

So just what did they do BEFORE there were roads?

My guess - they followed rivers and streams, treelines and ridges, essentially other visual clues.