Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Birds Can Recognize Landmarks

Birds Recognize Landmarks

Can you imagine a road trip vacation without missed exits, stubborn drivers or map-folding disasters?
Of course noteyou’re not a bird. Pigeons can fly thousands of miles to find the same roosting spot with no navigational difficulties.
Some species of birds, like the Arctic tern, make a 25,000 mile round-trip journey every year.
Many species use built-in ferromagnets to detect their orientation with respect to the Earth’s magnetic field.
A November 2006 study published in Animal Behaviour suggests that pigeons also use familiar landmarks on the ground below to help find their way home

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