Summary
Beginning from fledging time up to the time of homing experiments, 33 experimental pigeons were kept alternatively for three days in a wire-netting aviary which they could leave for spontaneous flights (O-aviary), and for three days in a closed aviary fenced with plastic sheeting (C-aviary). In the O-aviary they wore masks which prevented or limited their breathing through the nostrils. As controls, 31 birds were kept for three days in the O-aviary without masks and for three days in the C-aviary wearing masks.
In eight releases from places situated between 10 and 61 km from the aviary, the experimental birds gave worse homing performances than the control birds. Besides, contrary to the control birds, the initial orientation is mostly either wrong or at random in the experimental ones. These results support the hypothesis of olfactory navigation (Papiet al., 1972), which supposes that the pigeons, during their first months of life, gather information on smells prevailing in surrounding regions through the winds.
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Supported by the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.
We thank Professor D. R. Griffin for stimulating discussions and for critically reading the manuscript. Appreciation is extended to Dr. P. Luporini for his valuable assistance in recording the vanishing points of the birds.
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Papi, F., Fiore, L., Fiaschi, V. et al. An experiment for testing the hypothesis of olfactory navigation of homing pigeons. J. Comp. Physiol. 83, 93–102 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00694576
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00694576