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Magnetic Maps in Pigeons

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Orientation in Birds

Part of the book series: Experientia Supplementum ((EXS,volume 60))

Summary

The homing of racing pigeons is often slowed down on days of high sun-spot activity or variability in the earth’s magnetic field. The orientation of Ring-billed Gull chicks as well as the vanishing bearings of homing pigeons also seem to change in response to variability in the earth’s magnetic field. Furthermore, homing pigeons released under sunny skies at locations where the earth’s magnetic field is distributed are disoriented, yet pigeons equipped with devices that change the magnetic field around their head home normally. Weighing all this evidence, it is hard to believe that pigeons use a magnetic map.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and Section of Neurobiology and Behavior, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York, 14850, USA

    Charles Walcott

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  1. Charles Walcott
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Max Planck Institut für Verhaltensphysiologie, Vogelwarte Radolfzell Schloss Möggingen, D-7760, Radolfzell, Germany

    P. Berthold

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© 1991 Birkhäuser Verlag Basel/Switzerland

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Walcott, C. (1991). Magnetic Maps in Pigeons. In: Berthold, P. (eds) Orientation in Birds. Experientia Supplementum, vol 60. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7208-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7208-9_3

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser Basel

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-0348-7210-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-7208-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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