Many animals perform extended migrations. Most famous are the annual migrations of millions of birds that, in autumn, leave regions with adverse winter conditions to overwinter in more favorable parts of the Earth. The record holder in distance is the Arctic tern, Sterna paradisea, a sea bird breeding in the Arctic regions that spends the winters at the edge of the Antarctic Continent, thus staying in eternal summer, avoiding coldness and darkness. But many other birds migrate as well, covering several thousand kilometers every year; among them are, e.g., water birds, raptors, swifts and small songbirds such as swallows, warbler and others. They spend the summer in the northern temperate zones and move to lower latitudes, some of them crossing the equator for wintering. Whales cover long distances between their Arctic or Antarctic feeding grounds and areas with warmer water where they give birth to their calves. But also terrestrial mammals, like many hoofed animals, perform long distance migrations to follow the annual change in vegetation, e.g., the caribous in northern Canada or zebras, gnus and antelopes in eastern Africa. Some animals migrate between nesting and feeding grounds, e.g., marine turtles. Many fishes migrate; some of them, like eels and salmons, only at the beginning and end of their life. Even some insects migrate: the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexipus, is a prominent example.
Most of these migrations involve specific routes and defined end points. Eels and salmons, as well as marine turtles are known to leave their feeding sites after years to return to the places where they were born to lay their eggs. Banded birds were found to return to the same breeding site year after year, and many of them seem to spend the non-breeding season in the same wintering grounds every year.
Birds are also known to return after passive displacement from unfamiliar sites. Homing pigeons, Columba livia domestica, bred from the Mediterranean rock dove, were domesticated and used to transport messages already since antiquity. But other bird species, too, were found to be able to compensate for displacements; that is, they can directly head toward a specific goal. The same appears to be true for numerous other animals, with the distances involved correlated with the size of their home range.
Yet, the ability to navigate is not only required for extended migrations and displacements like those mentioned above, but also during their everyday movements within their home range animals profit greatly from good orientation, because it is advantageous to optimize routes—this saves energy and helps to avoid predation.
To answer the question what factors animals use to navigate, it is important to understand how they proceed when they want to reach a specific goal. Birds are by far the best-studied group—homing pigeons are available ad libitum and can be easily used for orientation experiments. When they are released at a distant site, they leave this site heading in directions close to the home direction. With migratory birds, their innate tendency to seasonally move in their migratory directions provides a reliable, solid baseline for cage experiments. Hence much of our present knowledge on animal navigation comes from studies with birds, but many of the processes and procedures identified in birds seem to have parallels in other animals.
Arrived early and in perfect condition. I have 8 favorites.
The Alexander Hansenne is indeed a remarkable Racing Pigeon Strain. Dr Willaim Anderson in his book "The Sport of Racing Pigeons" 1947 writes extensively about this outstanding Fancier. I luck to have an original copy of the book. Need i say i myself have of the Bronze chequers in my stock loft Well wishes to you
Hello Dale, Donnie & Pam
Firstly, I would like to thank Dale for his persistence yesterday. Both
Linda and I were so sorry that your crossing was so difficult.
Originally, you texted me that you would wait for us---so of course we
would wait for you!!
We had a very pleasant return home with clear roads etc. But were
extremely tired and went to bed early!! I am extremely happy with the
selection of birds you sent even the replacement for 20512.
It was a pleasure dealing with the Zehr family. I spent time with the
birds in the garage last night and today speaking "Zehr Sion" to them.
Think they understood---at least until they learn "Trini Sion". Lol!!!
Thank you all once again.
Wishing you all and your families a very Happy Holiday Season!!!
Dave and Linda
The 3 birds arrived this morning in Aurora, Colorado safe and sound. Thanks. We'll do business again!!
Hello. We received the two boxes today with the four Hansenne pigeons. Arrived in excellent condition.
She is SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL! Thank you guys for looking out for me. Can’t say enough about how much I love the bird and birds you have sent me.
Thank you so much, i got the bird! He's so beautiful, pin tail apple body, nice wing :)
Hello there, My name is Mike and live in Az, I had racing pigeons when I was young and now Im not young haha 61, Semi retired and determined to move to a place where I can fly birds again, want to get my grandkids involved. Anyway as a kid I flew some Sions and really enjoyed your website. When Im ready would love to get a few Sions again and see how they do. Any advice for an old newbie? lol
Hey Donnie, Saw your Birds on Ipigeon and must say, those are some Beautiful Heitzmans. They are very true to what I called the real thing. Beautiful Hansennes as well. Take Care, Chuck
Hi
I have placed the pigeon recieved from you recently in a priority express shipment back to you in same box recieved. Bird was beautiful and healthy but we realized it’s nature is such that it needs to fly and be a racing pigeon. We can’t offer that life to it and realize it was a mistake to try this based on our situation
Bird has had not been outside and has been confined indoors in isolation since recieved.
Please give it the home it deserves.
Appreciate the care you took getting it to us!!!
Need some color on my team. Had some sion couple years ago when i had a partner who sick and could not care for his own birds. He liked sions so i bought some from you on pigeonauction.com. We alot of fun his sions against my team .He has since past on. His family called me and thanked me for letting fly with me he really looked forward race day. HE WON EVERY WEEK
Path: https://www.clayhavenfarms.com/pigeons/for-sale
Thank you guys so much for allowing me the opportunity to love these birds.
