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Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 202, Issue 16 2121-2126, Copyright © 1999 by Company of Biologists
JOURNAL ARTICLES |
HG Wallraff, J Chappell and T Guilford
Max-Planck-Institut fur Verhaltensphysiologie, D-82319 Seewiesen, Germany and Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK. wallraff@mpi-seewiesen.mpg.de
It seems reasonable to assume that pigeons use visual features in the landscape for orientation when they are homing over familiar terrain. Experimental evidence to prove or disprove this possibility is, however, difficult to obtain. Here, we link the problem with the observation that deflections of initial orientation caused by clock-shift are often smaller than predicted on a pure sun compass basis. We substantiate the hypothesis that consistently reduced deflections and increased angular scatter occur only when pigeons are released in familiar areas where a remembered pattern of landscape features can conflict with the position of the sun. Repeated releases of the same individuals under clock-shift, or elimination of non-visual navigational clues (odours), appear to strengthen the conflicting influence of familiar visual landmarks. Accelerated returns of birds allowed to preview the surrounding familiar scenery before release also support the conclusion that the visual environment is included in the homing system of pigeons. The landscape, however, not only helps home-finding, if it is familiar, but may also have a distracting influence that contributes to the great variability of initial orientation patterns.
This article has been cited by other articles:
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  R. Wiltschko, K. Stapput, and B. Siegmund Does familiarity with the release site reduce the deflection induced by clock-shifting? A comment to the paper by Gagliardo et al. (2005) J. Exp. Biol., November 1, 2005; 208(21): 4001 - 4002. [Full Text] [PDF]
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A. Gagliardo, F. Odetti, and P. Ioale Factors reducing the expected deflection in initial orientation in clock-shifted homing pigeons J. Exp. Biol., February 1, 2005; 208(3): 469 - 478. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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 D. Biro, J. Meade, and T. Guilford Familiar route loyalty implies visual pilotage in the homing pigeon PNAS, December 14, 2004; 101(50): 17440 - 17443. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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H. Mouritsen, K. P. Huyvaert, B. J. Frost, and D. J. Anderson Waved albatrosses can navigate with strong magnets attached to their head J. Exp. Biol., November 15, 2003; 206(22): 4155 - 4166. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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R. A. Holland The role of visual landmarks in the avian familiar area map J. Exp. Biol., June 1, 2003; 206(11): 1773 - 1778. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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