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Journal of Experimental Biology 54,291-316 (1971)
Published by Company of Biologists 1971

Sun Navigation in Homing Pigeons--Attempts to shift Sun Coordinates

CHARLES WALCOTT ¹ and MARTIN C. MICHENER ²

¹ Division of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, N.Y., 11790 U.S.A.
² Division of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, N.Y., 11790 U.S.A.; Box 215, Lincoln, Mass. 01773

1. Small time errors in the biological clocks of pigeons appear to have no effect on their navigation.

2. An error of 2 h seems to shift the pigeons' orientation as predicted by a suncompass hypothesis, but 6 h shifts gave initial orientation that was too scattered to analyse.

3. Alteration of the apparent sun altitude with mirrors at the loft was without effect on navigation.

4. The administration of 30% D₂O in the pigeon's drinking water combined with a random light schedule and holding at a westerly point had no effect on the pigeon's homing.

5. We conclude that the pigeon's navigation is probably not based on either the sun or on accurate sense of time at the home loft.