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Pigeon homing: Effects of manipulation of sensory experience at home site

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Summary

During a treatment that lasted approximately 100 days beginning at fledging time, four groups of pigeons were kept for ten 3-day periods in an aviary of wire-netting located in Arnino. Here they could acquire a visual experience of the landmarks and leave for exercise flights. During these 3-day sojourns, the birds wore masks which prevented or limited their breathing through the nostrils. For the remaining time the pigeons were unmasked and closed in four cages outdoors that prevented them from seeing the country-side. The cages were of two types, ones with walls of horizontal strips that allowed the flow of air (pervious cages) and ones with vertical walls impervious to air currents (impervious cages). The four groups were kept under different conditions: 1) RP-birds were kept in a pervious cage in Arnino; 2) RI-birds, in an impervious cage in Arnino; 3) CP-birds, in a pervious cage in Miemo, 42 km SW of Arnino; 4) CI-birds, in an impervious cage in Miemo. The results of the test releases, carried out in a location 24.5 km SW of Arnino and 17.8 km NE of Miemo were the following:

1) The RP-birds were home oriented, all returning to Arnino; 2) the RI-birds were erroneously oriented towards SW, 20 out of 24 returning to Arnino but more slowly than the RP-birds with 4 lost; 3) the CP-birds were oriented towards the site of the cage (Miemo), 4 returning to Arnino, 5 to Miemo with 8 lost; 4) the CI-birds are oriented at random, 5 returning to Arnino with 8 lost.

The results indicate that the initial orientation is correct only in pigeons which have been exposed to winds with their nostrils free. They can return to their cage even if they have no visual experience of the surroundings. However, return to a location where the pigeons had visual experience but no olfactory experience is also possible.

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This research was supported by the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.

We are deeply indebted to Prof. G. Baldacci for offering to house the two groups of commuter pigeons, as well as looking after them with his own property guards, on his land in Miemo. We are grateful to Dr. J. D. Coulter for correcting the English text.

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Baldaccini, N.E., Benvenuti, S., Fiaschi, V. et al. Pigeon homing: Effects of manipulation of sensory experience at home site. J. Comp. Physiol. 94, 85–96 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00617836

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00617836

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