麦戈文脑科学研究所学术报告

Title: Navigation in Homing Pigeons

Speaker: Roswitha Wiltschko

Adjunct Professor of Zoology at the J.W. Goethe-Universität Frankfurt a.M.

Time: 14:30-16:00, Tuesday, May 17

Location: R1113, Wangkezhen Building, PKU

Host: Dr. Yi Rao and Dr. Can Xie

Abstract:

Pigeon navigation is a two-step-process: in the first step, birds determine the home direction as a compass course; in the second step, they use a compass to locate this course and transfer it into a flying direction. Pigeons have two compass mechanisms at their disposal: a magnetic compass and a sun compass. For determining the direction to home, experience pigeons use information obtained at the release site: they are assumed to compare the scalar values of environmental gradients with the home values and interpret the differences with the help of their navigational map. Young bird that have not yet established a map use information obtain during the outward journey, recording the net direction of displacement with the help of a compass mechanism. They explore their home area, thus obtaining the information to establish their navigational map.

欢迎各位老师同学积极参加！