HOMING pigeons are famed for their ability to fly home across hundreds of kilometres of unfamiliar territory, but exactly how they do this has long been a subject of debate. Some argue that pigeons use their sense of smell, others that they navigate using the Earth’s magnetic field. Now the argument may finally be settled in favour of smelling.
The finding contradicts a 2004 study which concluded that pigeons relied on magnetic navigation after showing they are able to detect magnetic fields (Nature, vol 432, p 508). Having the ability doesn’t mean they use it to navigate, though, says…
