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Microclimatic origin of inhaled air affects olfactory navigation of homing pigeons

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Abstract

Earlier experiments led to the conclusion that homing pigeons are able to deduce positional information from atmospheric odours they perceive at the site of release. Here we show that this ability is significantly reduced, if the inhaled air does not originate from the free airspace in an open landscape but from a close-to-the-ground level of a forest or a maize field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institut für Verhaltensphysiologie, D-W-8130, Seewiesen Post Starnberg, Germany

    H. G. Wallraff, J. Kiepenheuer, M. F. Neumann & U. Sinsch

Authors
  1. H. G. Wallraff
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  2. J. Kiepenheuer
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  3. M. F. Neumann
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  4. U. Sinsch
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Wallraff, H.G., Kiepenheuer, J., Neumann, M.F. et al. Microclimatic origin of inhaled air affects olfactory navigation of homing pigeons. Experientia 48, 1153–1158 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01948013

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01948013

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