Two researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Le-Qing Wu and David Dickman, have identified cells in a pigeon’s brain that record detailed information on the Earth’s magnetic field, a kind of biological compass.The group of specialized cells are in the brain stem and record direction and intensity of the magnetic field. And they have good, but not conclusive, evidence to suggest that the information these cells are recording is coming from the bird’s inner ear. So cray!
I just love these prints. Yesterday, I was standing in my backward watching my homing pigeon forage on the ground for seeds. Out of nowhere, a red tail hawk swooped down, grabbed the pigeon and flew away. R.I.P. Commander Squeaks.
Pigeons can perform abstract mathematical reasoning just as well as primates. I will add that to my super long list of why I think pigeons are totally amazing.
Read more here:http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/science/pigeons-can-learn-higher-math-as-well-as-monkeys-study-suggests.html?_r=1&ref=science
I just got two pigeons. They can fly at 100km/hr through bad weather and wind for 1000km in a straight line from somewhere they have never been before and return back to their loft. You never know when you might want to send a message home.
