The mystery of how homing pigeons are able to navigate home may have been solved. The birds use low-frequency sound waves to make a mental map of their location, new research suggests.
The findings, published Wednesday in the Journal of Experimental Biology, may shed light on why the normally amazing navigators sometimes get completely lost: the low-frequency waves from their current location don't reach their home loft.
Four-decade mystery
In 1969, a Cornell biology professor gave a talk to geologists at the school about the mystery of the lost homing pigeons. If the pigeons were taken to almost any locations, they headed straight home with amazing accuracy. But at one location, called Jersey Hill, the pigeons got completely lost, with each taking off in a random direction. At two other locations, the birds consistently headed in the same wrong direction. On a few trips, the birds would miraculously make it home, but then get lost the next day. [ The 10 Weirdest Animal Discoveries]
United States Geological Survey geologist John Hagstrum heard the talk, and the question nagged at him for years. In the 1990s, he discovered that birds in European pigeon races were going astray on clear-weather days, when the Concord, the supersonic plane, was in the area. That led him to wonder whether the sonic boom from the Concorde plane disrupted pigeon navigation by interfering with the sound waves.
Prior research had shown that birds hear incredibly low-frequency sound waves of about 0.1 Hertz, or a tenth of a cycle per second. These infrasound waves may emanate from in the ocean and create tiny disturbances in the atmosphere. Hagstrum began to think the bird's used infrasound for navigation.
"If that sound in the Earth is coupling through the topography, then maybe the birds are actually sort of seeing, or imaging, their topography around their loft acoustically," he told LiveScience.
Vast dataset
To test the idea that pigeons use infrasound to make an acoustic map of home, he used a computer program to model the emanation of infrasound waves from 200 sites around Cornell University where about 45,000 pigeons had been released over a 14-year period. He then compared sound wave location data with information on whether the pigeons had made it home.
f how homing pigeons are able to navigate home may have been solved. The birds use low-frequency sound waves to make a menhoming pigeons are able to navigate home may have been solved. The birds use low-frequency sound waves to make a mental map of their location, new research suggests.
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.
Thanks again for the most beautiful Pure Paul Sions pigeons ever!! The loft is full of happy sounds from the birds strutting around in their new home. Y’all were so easy to work thru my problems of birds I chose.
Thanks a million times over Pam and Donnie. Your friend Jimi
Good evening
What a surprised New Year’s gift from you guys
I received the very nice young pure white hansennes hen this pm.
I was not aware that you sent her already/
Thanks for sending 12046
I really like her.
Please keep me posted when you have bastins availabe
Wishing you a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year.
Thanks so much
I received the birds this morning.
As I expected, they are all very pretty and healthy.
I need a nice sion cock to pair up with my almost white hen.
I believed, I inquired a white splash white sion cock,
Not sure if he is still available, trying to breed out pure white sions
From your loft.
The Hansenne cock, very handsome, pls keep me posted for a solid
White hen. The hen very beautiful, can’t
Wait what they will yield.
Thanks so much
I’m super stoked for new birds!. Second new loft in Austin Texas. I’m really looking for 4 to 5 pair.
