Initial Orientation and Distance of Displacement in Pigeon Homing

Abstract

THE distance of displacement has recently emerged as one, possibly very important, parameter in pigeon homing^1–5. The accuracy of initial orientation, in particular, seems to be a functionof the distance from home^3,4. In order to extend a previous series of experiments, which involved a more complex problem and distances below 100 km^3,4, a new series was designed to investigate the relation between initial orientation and distance of displacement of up to 400 km.