How do homing pigeons find their way back.(Or migrating birds?

Answer 1

Over long distances, homing pigeons find their way back to base mainly by using inbuilt magnetic "compasses" and clues from familiar smells. But how pigeons initially get their bearings has never been clear.

Over short distances, seems to be that they follow those in the know. Birds with most visual information about their release site before they were set free homed fastest. The team [Biologists at Oxford University]also found that birds with less visual information can exploit those with more - The less clued-up bird would fly after the one from the clear box, which would slow down to let the more disoriented bird catch up.

Answer 2

Although it has long been believed that birds are able to sense magnetic north, a recent study showed new evidence that birds also follow features in the landscape. The British study took place within the last 12 months. It involved driving racing pigeons to a release site and then releasing them. Some of the pigeons had radio transmitters attached to them so their route could be followed. What researchers discovered is that the pigeons followed landscape features back home, including roads that their owner had driven along. The pigeons even turned right at a roundabout whilst they were following a road.

So it would seem that they follow known landscape features, as well as flying a known direction based on their sense of magnetic north.

Answer 3

They are trained to fly in the direction of the loft. When young they are taken at increasing distances from the loft but always on the line of direction they would fly if in a race. Gradually they develop the senses to enable them to do it in a storm or bad weather. As they get near the loft they recogise landmarks and speed up.

Not all do it, a lot get lost every year and some get into the habit of dropping in lofts on the line of flight for a drink and food.

They wont fly over water if they can avoid it and when having to will look for the shortest route across.

Answer 4

Good Question. In the pidgeon's beak there are crystaline particals which are magnetized like the poles of a compass, telling the pidgeon which direction is north and south. Using this compass beak, the use landmarks like rivers, roads, hills and forrests etc to plot there course to and from point A to point B.

Answer 5

They have an electromagnetic field sensory area in the Brain. A bit like a compass

Answer 6

My cat Dusty brings in stay birds each and all the time and we will not observe that she has it in her mouth until eventually the chook is going flying around the room chirping it truly is detrimental little head off and then I would desire to get a rag and capture it and placed the chook in a tree!

Answer 7

Sat Nav.............that just given me an idea, I'm gonna stick a pigeon in my car & let it coo directions to me ( must be better than the missis) with her directions its a wonder we dont finish up in somebodys pigeon loft everytime we go out!

Answer 8

They use the magnetic fields of the earth.

These fields are partly caused by the earths core and partly by the gravitational pull of the moon and the planets.

Answer 9

They have tiny magnets in the heads. When they align them with the Earth's magnetic field, they know which way North is.

Answer 10

this is officially still a 'mystery' in that there are theories why it is but no hard fact - i mean you could hardly interview the bird itself could you? but seriously, ally h's answer is the closest to what i think