Dependence of the Homing Pigeons’ Initial Orientation on Topographical and Meteorological Variables: A Multivariate Study

Dornfeldt, K.

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-68616-0_25

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Downhill slope orientation seemed less significant here than in the study by Dornfeldt (1982). There are several possible explanations for this.…”

Section: Relation To Gravity and Topographycontrasting

confidence: 52%

“…34;P> 0.05,Rayleigh test), whereas the pigeons transported via the more direct route to the release site were homeward oriented. Interestingly, other pigeons from the same loft departed with strong deviations there in the summer of 1975 after transporting them via the same detour, though this result seemed to fit the pattern of downhill slope orientation reported by Dornfeldt (1982). Also, the circular diagrams (Fig.…”

Section: Relations To Magnetismmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…2, nos. 48, 63; P<0.05, confidence interval); in these cases the anomalousness of the gravity field as well as the slope downhill and in the first case also the presence of transmission lines nearby have to be regarded as possible causes (Dornfeldt 1982). All the stronger magnetic anomalies (with aeromagnetic AT> 68 nT) belonged to ubseries B under sunny skies.…”

Section: Comparison Of Releases Inside Versus Outside Magnetic Anomaliesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such ' release site biases', which occur frequently and universally, still defy adequate explanation. (4) The vanishing bearings showed a tendency to follow the earth's surface relief (Dornfeldt 1982); this prompted the idea that the disorientation at magnetic anomalies may be due to the irregular topography/gravity inside the magnetic anomalies tested so far rather than to the distorted magnetic field. (5) Some sites of magnetic anomalies tested by Walcott (1978) were also sites of gravity anomalies so that the poor orientation could potentially be due to the gravity anomaly as well, although Lednor and Walcott (1984) attempted to reject this on an insufficient data basis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gould (1982) looking at the data collected by Walcott (1978) and Frei (1982) claimed that the magnetic hypotheses were supported (but see Wallraff 1983, for a critical review). Dornfeldt (1982) scrutinized the above five hypotheses by a multivariate statistical approach similar to this one and found a relation to topography.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pigeon homing in relation to geomagnetic, gravitational, topographical, and meteorological conditions

Dornfeldt

1991

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Experienced homing pigeons were released at sites unfamiliar to them and with magnetic and gravity anomalies as well as in areas with rather normal fields throughout the FRG (41 releases when sunny, 14 when overcast; Figs. 1-3). The second-order release data were subjected to both univariate and multivariate statistical analysis (stepwise regression, factor analysis). The magnetic field strength and its gradients within the l-km circle around the release site were determined from aeromagnetic maps of the anomalies of magnetic total intensity. Analogous variables were derived from gravity anomaly maps. It was tested whether the pigeons fly along that gradient to minimize the difference between the magnetic or gravity field at the release site and the loft at maximum rate. Further independent variables described magnetic K index, day-to-day variations of the magnetic components, topography, meteorological conditions, the number of the releases the pigeons had done, and the distance.Over magnetic anomalies widely varying in strength (departing -250 nT to 300 nT from normal 600 m above ground), extent, and distance from loft, the pigeons vanished with less deviation from the homeward direction and faster than they did in areas with less irregular fields under sunny conditions; this is in contrast to other studies on magnetic anomalies, except one. At sites of gravity anomalies (15M9 regal), the pigeons were significantly less homeward oriented and homed slower than at less anomalous sites (-9 to 14 mgal).Variables related to gravity were best predictors in 8 and and second predictors in 3 out of 15 regression analyses of the navigational parameters for the releases under sun. Six times the (absolute) amount of the gravity difference between the release site and the loft was selected first (Figs. 7 B, C, 8 B, C). The results suggest gravity to be involved in navigation as the pigeons' distance measure. Homeward directedness declined with increasing amount of the gravity gradient in the first 12 releases under sunny skies as well as when overcast (Fig. 8A). A preferred compass direction towards north-northeast was determined, being closest to the grand mean vector of the ascending gravity gradient (Fig. 6). The analyses failed to show directional preferences as assumed by the hypotheses tested. Temperature and degree of cloud cover provided some information for predicting mean vector lengths and mean vanishing times, respectively. The surface wind component in the homeward direction was correlated with median homing performances.

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“…Downhill slope orientation seemed less significant here than in the study by Dornfeldt (1982). There are several possible explanations for this.…”

Section: Relation To Gravity and Topographycontrasting

confidence: 52%

Section: Relations To Magnetismmentioning

confidence: 69%

Section: Comparison Of Releases Inside Versus Outside Magnetic Anomaliesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pigeon homing in relation to geomagnetic, gravitational, topographical, and meteorological conditions

Dornfeldt

1991

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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The maturation of research into the avian hippocampal formation: Recent discoveries from one of the nature's foremost navigators

2015

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For more than 30 years, a growing number of researchers have been attracted to the challenge of understanding the neurobiological organization of the avian hippocampal formation (HF) and its relationship to the remarkable spatial cognitive abilities of birds. In this selective review, we highlight recent anatomical and developmental findings that reveal a HF design that defies any simple comparison to the mammalian hippocampus and leaves unanswered the seemingly enduring question of whether a dentate gyrus homologue is to be found in HF. From a functional perspective, we highlight the recent discoveries that implicate HF in the use of space for memory pattern segregation and continued interest in the role HF neurogenesis may play in supporting memory function and its relationship to memory decline in aging birds. We also summarize data that nurture a fundamental reinterpretation of the role of HF in spatial cognition by suggesting HF involvement in spatial perception antecedent to any memory formation. Given the disproportionate adaptive significance of space for birds, which has led to the evolution of their exceptional navigational and memory abilities, there is little doubt that the avian HF will continue to provide important and unexpected insights into the neural basis of spatial cognition.

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Strategies of homing behavior in the red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Bovet

1984

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Dependence of the Homing Pigeons’ Initial Orientation on Topographical and Meteorological Variables: A Multivariate Study

Cited by 7 publications

References 4 publications

Pigeon homing in relation to geomagnetic, gravitational, topographical, and meteorological conditions

Pigeon homing in relation to geomagnetic, gravitational, topographical, and meteorological conditions

The maturation of research into the avian hippocampal formation: Recent discoveries from one of the nature's foremost navigators

Strategies of homing behavior in the red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

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