Emphasis in navigation studies concentrated on time and direction of initial orientation and little or no effort was made to investigate specific factors that might affect flight speed in relation to racing pigeons' homing ability 10.ĭiagram 1 is a schematic that outlines some of the major factors, from empirical deduction, that could have an effect on racing performance in pigeons.ĭiagram 1. An attempt was made to distinguish between orientation, describing the ability of a pigeon to head in the direction of home from a release site, and homing ability, describing how well, in terms of flight speed or percentage return rate, pigeons managed to get home 3, 4, 5, 10. In early works where pigeon homing behaviour was used to study avian navigation it became clear that homing ability was likely to be governed by a number of independent factors and doubts were expressed that observations of homing would be useful in determining the basis of avian navigation 3, 4, 5. Despite the homing pigeon having been the subject of much study in relation to avian navigation 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, avian flight mechanics 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and basic physiological 20, 21, nutritional 22, 23and anatomical 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 information, there are surprisingly few scientific studies on factors that affect racing performance. This homing phenomenon is the basis for the sport of pigeon racing - a popular hobby throughout the world 1. Homing pigeons (Columba livia) have an exceptional ability to navigate over long distances and if released at unfamiliar locations, instinctively and immediately endeavour to return to their home lofts.
0 kommentar(er)
