title: Navigation of single homing pigeons: airplane observations by radio tracking.
abstract: Navigation of homing pigeons was investigated by tracking their homeward flights from a light airplane. Released on successive days from a single training point 35 miles (56 kilometers) from home, individual pigeons, each carrying a transmitter, were repeatedly tracked back to theirloft. No two tracks covered the same ground for even short distances, yet all tracks were within 10 miles of a straight line. Results from further releases north and south of the training point suggest that pigeons often use three methods in sequence to find home: compass orientation, bi-coordinate navigation, and orientation by familiar landmarks.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Michener
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walcott