# i wanna know how is it that pigeons always find their way home??



## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

this is a phenomenom and if someobody can explain how they do it i would appreciate it
I have 6 parrots and i know if i released them they would never come back
btu pigeons are amazing, they always come back home.
bulit in navigation system??
how ?
why?
please explain


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

First off, the do not ALWAYS find their way home. Most of the time yes.

No one knows for sure how they do it.

Here is a link that may interest you.

http://www.racingbirds.com/homing.html


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## Big T (Mar 25, 2008)

When you find out the answer let us all know. This is a mystery of science. Pigeons have a great memory for remember landmarks. Have an internal compass. But have always amazed science with the "homing" ability. 

Good Luck on your quest,
Tony


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

thanks , great article


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

Big T said:


> When you find out the answer let us all know. This is a mystery of science. Pigeons have a great memory for remember landmarks. Have an internal compass. But have always amazed science with the "homing" ability.
> 
> Good Luck on your quest,
> Tony


hahah thanks ill try to find out, ill let u guys know
i know about magnetic fields , sun, but in this article they mentioned how the birds are anesthetised during the trip before release..
wow
amazing birds


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

It is a long article but I can condense it down for y'all.

We don't know. We have some thoughts and experiments that indicate pigeons use several methods, and when one is unavailable, fall back on others. But we just don't understand fully, how they do it.

Until we find a pigeon that speaks our language, we may never know.  Even then, the bird may not know how he/she does it. Just like some savant humans that can tell you what day of the week Dec. 21st, 1773 was, in less than a second. Or how much 3,333,432 times 983,666,282 is (without a calculator) , in two seconds, can not fully explain to us how they do it.

Isn't life mysterious and wonderful?  Aren't homing pigeons mysterious, wonderful and amazing?


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

goga82 said:


> this is a phenomenom and if someobody can explain how they do it i would appreciate it
> I have 6 parrots and i know if i released them they would never come back
> btu pigeons are amazing, they always come back home.
> bulit in navigation system??
> ...


I would like to know the answer to this question also. 

Many ideas and theories, but that is really all that they are, and this mystery has fascinated me my whole life !


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## Columba livia! (May 4, 2009)

I like your answer condidtoinfreak. nice condencing


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

On a serious note. After giving this some thought for a long time. At least 6 minutes. I have come up with an answer to this age old question.

They find their way home from afar, the same way we find our way home from afar.

We figure it out or we don't make it home. We use whatever method gets us there. Or we don't get there. Just like sometimes they don't get there. Sometimes we get distracted by something we come across and never make it home. Sometimes bad things happen to us and we never make it home. Sometimes we change our minds and never go home. Same for the pigeons.

Okay. Now you know 

Time for me to hit my perch, next to my little hen Margie. No one could ask for a better nestmate. 

Goodnight. Coo....Coo.....Coo


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

conditionfreak said:


> On a serious note. After giving this some thought for a long time. At least 6 minutes. I have come up with an answer to this age old question.
> 
> They find their way home from afar, the same way we find our way home from afar.


Gee....so that is how they do it ?!? 

We should put you and a few homing pigeons to the test. I will take you out say 150 miles from shore and into the Alantic ocean and throw you over board, and see if you can find your way home.  For safety puposes I will place a GPS device on you and give you several hours head start. Then I will place a GPS device on one of those homing pigeons, and that way we can track who made the most direct route. Because this is not a swimming contest, after a few hours I will track you down and deliver a rubber raft, so you can complete the journey. This won't be a speed event, but which one takes the most direct route. 

So what skills will you use to figure out which direction is towards my house ?


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## Pegasus (Feb 6, 2007)

goga82 said:


> this is a phenomenom and if someobody can explain how they do it i would appreciate it
> I have 6 parrots and i know if i released them they would never come back
> btu pigeons are amazing, they always come back home.
> built in navigation system??
> ...


Scientist are trying to figure out about this and there's a lot of different opinions ...Some of the members have homing pigeons for so many years but the opinion about how the homing pigeons find their way home is not really sure or what do the pigeons use to get or find their home, I can't figure out this question but as long as they come home and no injuries that makes me happy...Why they come back home?, pretty much they are like US, no matter if we got married, runaway from home or whatever is the reason, we all know "there's no place like home"...I know for sure, I always look back where I came from...


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## keystonepaul (Sep 7, 2009)

Two questions:
1. Anyone have any antecdotal stories of birds flying back to thier original loft after a very long time- 5 years, 10 years, how long a distance have you heard of a bird flying back, etc.- no purpose asking other than curiosity

2. Homing ability vs. speed- other than taking a more direct route which is the obvious- if a certain pigeon has a better homing instinct than another but are flying the correct dircection does the one that's let's say 100% locked on positive of the route fly faster than the one that might be 80% sure but not fully committed to the route even though it's correct. Does being rock solid sure of your route as quickly as possible have other advantages than just flying the straightest shortest route is what I guess I'm asking or asked another way- Does a smarter or more intuitive bird have other advantages than just flying the straightest, shortest route? How would one determine this if it is determineable. Do folks observe thier birds upon release and pick up anything in terms of ability and intuition from the time of release until thier out of sight? Haven't seen it mentioned if it's of value so I thought I'd ask. Thanks for wading through that one, Keystonepaul


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> Gee....so that is how they do it ?!?
> 
> We should put you and a few homing pigeons to the test. I will take you out say 150 miles from shore and into the Alantic ocean and throw you over board, and see if you can find your way home.  For safety puposes I will place a GPS device on you and give you several hours head start. Then I will place a GPS device on one of those homing pigeons, and that way we can track who made the most direct route. Because this is not a swimming contest, after a few hours I will track you down and deliver a rubber raft, so you can complete the journey. This won't be a speed event, but which one takes the most direct route.
> 
> So what skills will you use to figure out which direction is towards my house ?


I wouldn't go to your house. I would go to mine. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. That would be my first clue. I would also observe the sea gulls and follow them to land. I can travel at night and follow the north star or other signs in the sky.

Seriously, if you want to make it fair, I would have to be able to walk from wherever you took me. We don't ask our pigeons to swim or walk, do we? Additionally, many pigeons get lost. I WILL find my way home, unless I die.

If you do this "test" more than 2000 miles away. I believe that I will take the most direct route home and arrive sooner. Again, as long as I am released somewhere a racing pigeon would also normally be released. No one releases them in the desert or in the water. No one I am familiar with.


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

keystonepaul said:


> Two questions:
> 1. Anyone have any antecdotal stories of birds flying back to thier original loft after a very long time- 5 years, 10 years, how long a distance have you heard of a bird flying back, etc.- no purpose asking other than curiosity
> 
> 2. Homing ability vs. speed- other than taking a more direct route which is the obvious- if a certain pigeon has a better homing instinct than another but are flying the correct dircection does the one that's let's say 100% locked on positive of the route fly faster than the one that might be 80% sure but not fully committed to the route even though it's correct. Does being rock solid sure of your route as quickly as possible have other advantages than just flying the straightest shortest route is what I guess I'm asking or asked another way- Does a smarter or more intuitive bird have other advantages than just flying the straightest, shortest route? How would one determine this if it is determineable. Do folks observe thier birds upon release and pick up anything in terms of ability and intuition from the time of release until thier out of sight? Haven't seen it mentioned if it's of value so I thought I'd ask. Thanks for wading through that one, Keystonepaul



I was in the Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C. back in 1976. While there, I flew pigeons with the local racing club (New River Racing Club). I got transferred to Cleveland, Ohio and a fellow club member (I forget his name but he was a bank president) gave me a 13 year old hen as a departing gift. This hen had bred many winners. He wold me her last two eggs were infertile and maybe I could get something out of her. He also told me that she had been a prisoner at his loft for 12 years.

I took her along with my other pigeons to Cleveland. A month later, she got out on me. Another month later, I received a letter from the man who had given her to me. He asked if I had lost something 

She had went home. If I remember correctly, we figured it was 832 miles from my location to his. It did take he about three weeks apparently, but she made it. She had never been flown at his loft according to him.

It's a shame that I did not get some youngs ones out of her. But I gave up pigeons a couple of years later anyway. Due to Pigeon Lung disease.

But I'm back baby. (assuming I don't get lost forever in Warrens test)


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

keystonepaul said:


> Two questions:
> 1. Anyone have any antecdotal stories of birds flying back to thier original loft after a very long time- 5 years, 10 years, how long a distance have you heard of a bird flying back, etc.- no purpose asking other than curiosity
> 
> 2. Homing ability vs. speed- other than taking a more direct route which is the obvious- if a certain pigeon has a better homing instinct than another but are flying the correct dircection does the one that's let's say 100% locked on positive of the route fly faster than the one that might be 80% sure but not fully committed to the route even though it's correct. Does being rock solid sure of your route as quickly as possible have other advantages than just flying the straightest shortest route is what I guess I'm asking or asked another way- Does a smarter or more intuitive bird have other advantages than just flying the straightest, shortest route? How would one determine this if it is determineable. Do folks observe thier birds upon release and pick up anything in terms of ability and intuition from the time of release until thier out of sight? Haven't seen it mentioned if it's of value so I thought I'd ask. Thanks for wading through that one, Keystonepaul


It has not happened to me, but I have had fellow flyers tell me that they have had birds come home to Ohio, that had seaweed stuck to their feet and bands. Many birds will come home with mud on their bands indicating they stopped somewhere for water. Even from relatively short races, like 200 miles or so. They probably are not winners though.

I had one fellow flyer just last week tell me that two years ago, his entire race team disappeared from a training toss of twenty miles. He then got contacted by a guy in Pennsylvania who had my friends entire racing team in his loft. We are in Cincinnati. My friend drove to Pa to get his birds.

Here in Cincy, they used to race from Texas. Seems not many race a thousand miles anymore. I would like to enter some really long races. I have some Jan Ardens that I think could possibly do it. Not speed birds by any stretch.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

conditionfreak said:


> *I was in the Marines *stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C. back in 1976..........But I'm back baby. (assuming I don't get lost forever in Warrens test)



Now that explains a lot of things !!! 

My guess is, you would have never made shore....at least not the right one. 

In 1974, while a Paratrooper with the famous 1/509th Airborne Battalion Combat Team, we were engaged in a huge multinational war game to capture the island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean. 

My unit of US Army Paratroopers executed our mission flawlessly, we dropped behind enemy lines, at night with only the light of the moon, vastly outnumbered and outgunned, we captured our objective of a strategic military airport, and held our position waiting to be reinforced by the Marines from the sea. Our small unit, single handedly won the "War". Those poor guys never showed...the reason ? They "hit" the wrong beaches and scared the local citizens half to death, who were enjoying the sunny weather on the beach. 

Apparently, in that part of Italy, on those particular beaches, the locals don't always bother to wear bathing suits, so as you can imagine, these poor jar heads became so distracted and disoriented from this event, by the time the officers got control of the situation and started them back onto the mission, they ended up marching off in the wrong direction again, only to be captured later in the day by a much smaller force of Army National Guard troops. Rumor was, they never were quite "right" again from that experience..... For all I know, they might still be on latrine duty !

Sorry for taking the readers a bit OT on the subject of Marine navigation skills. I guess there was good reason why during WWII, they put the training of the Pigeon Corps into the hands of skilled ARMY pigeon fanciers !!


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Ha Ha. Again the Doggies and the JarHeads go at it.

I remember once, just after watching a Bruce Lee movie (Enter The Dragon) at a base theater. Afterwards, everyone exiting the theater naturally wanted to chop or kick someone. So, a couple of Marines picked on some Soldiers. Well, a big fight ensued between the Soldiers and the Marines. It was a "free for all".

Afterwards, the Marines (approximately 40 or so) were displined for beating up the Soldiers (maybe a hundred or so) and sending so many to the infirmary for medical treatment. I am sure that I sent three or four myself.

None, I repeat, none of the Marines sought medical treatment (although my hand was fractured).

My brother was in the Army and I still laugh about how during boot camp, they were not allowed to use the soda pop and beer vending machines located in their BOOT CAMP barracks, during the week. Only on weekends.

HaHaHaHaHaHa

Ever watch M.A.S.H.? That is how I picture the Army. I am sure that I am wrong, but that's how I picture them.

Now tell me about Gomer Pyle 

(P.S. I don't want to tell you that I was also in the Navy, because that would leave me open for a whole lot of jokes at my expense)


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## zeroc2k (Jul 5, 2009)

*Pigeon racing is not a sport played for glamour, but for love*. 
Really Good old Article about Racing Pigeon
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/nyregion/thecity/09pige.html?_r=1


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## bloodlines_365 (Jan 15, 2008)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> Gee....so that is how they do it ?!?
> 
> We should put you and a few homing pigeons to the test. I will take you out say 150 miles from shore and into the Alantic ocean and throw you over board, and see if you can find your way home.  For safety puposes I will place a GPS device on you and give you several hours head start. Then I will place a GPS device on one of those homing pigeons, and that way we can track who made the most direct route. Because this is not a swimming contest, after a few hours I will track you down and deliver a rubber raft, so you can complete the journey. This won't be a speed event, but which one takes the most direct route.
> 
> So what skills will you use to figure out which direction is towards my house ?


 this is so dope..... with built in magnetic feilds sensored is the asnwer,bird dont fly straigth tell they know the place their going, thats why when you tosss the birds they circle an circle trying to find and obsorved which is the strongest magnetic field to way home tell they hit the familliar landmark.....this a debate for a while...


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Pigeons have many gifts given to them by their Creator.

They have a built-in compass, they see/sense the earths magnetic rays, they have excellent vision, a sense of smell and memorize landmarks and roads and other places they have been, not to mention they have agility and speed in those wings. They don't necessarily take the shortest route or direct route-but the best one that meets their needs.

They are the perfect little package in a bundle of feathery cuteness, they are poetry in flight.


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