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Distant Landmarks Used for Navigation by Homing Pigeons
Martin Wikelski1,2, Dina K N Dechmann1,2, Michael Quetting1
1Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.
Life (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Homing pigeons use distant landmarks like mountain tops for navigation when other cues are unavailable. Without these visual cues, pigeons struggle to orient, demonstrating the importance of distant visual information for homing.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior
- Sensory ecology
- Navigation
Background:
- Animal navigation relies on multiple sensory modalities, but the specific role of distant visual cues is debated.
- Understanding how animals integrate or prioritize sensory information is crucial for explaining navigational abilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether homing pigeons can use distant visual landmarks for orientation when olfactory and local map cues are excluded.
- To determine the role of magnetic cues versus distant visual cues in pigeon homing.
Main Methods:
- Trained homing pigeons were released from a plane above ground fog, with and without visible distant landmarks (alpine mountain tops).
- Flight paths, orientation, and homing success were recorded under experimental conditions and compared to ground-level controls.
- Conditions excluded olfactory cues and local maps, while manipulating the visibility of distant visual cues.
Main Results:
- When distant landmarks were obscured by fog, pigeons exhibited poor orientation, tortuous flights, and delayed homing, relying on solar cues later.
- In the presence of visible distant landmarks, pigeons maintained strong homeward orientation and achieved high homing success, comparable to ground releases.
- Magnetic cues did not appear to facilitate orientation in the absence of visual landmarks.
Conclusions:
- Distant visual landmarks are critical for efficient homing in experienced pigeons when other navigational cues are unavailable.
- Pigeons prioritize distant visual cues over potential magnetic cues for short-distance homing under specific conditions.
- This study highlights the significant role of large-scale visual features in animal navigation.
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