Book 11, Question 39
How Do Homing Pigeons Find Their Way Home?
Homing pigeons use several clues to find their way home! They can sense Earth's magnetic field, and they use the Sun's position. They also notice landmarks and may even smell familiar scents.
More fun facts
- Scientists have long debated whether pigeons navigate by smell or by Earth's magnetic field.
- Some research supports the idea that homing pigeons use magnetic field lines.
- Homing pigeons combine inner compasses with memorized landmarks to find their way.
- Pigeons can remember a route home even four years after they last flew it.
- In one study, pigeons given a drug affecting special liver cells could not find home until the sun came out.
Sources: National Geographic, Scientific American, Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
Can pigeons use the sun?
Studies suggest the sun is one of the clues pigeons use to find their way.