Homing Experiments with Starlings Deprived of the Sense of Smell

摘要: Three hundred and forty adult European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) were caught in nest boxes at a colony southern Germany. Half made anosmic by bilateral olfactory nerve section; the others sham-operated served as controls. The birds displaced over distances of 30, 60, 120 or 240 km, respectively, either towards east west. Over 30 60 both controls starlings returned rate 40-50%. longer distances, return remained same (120 km) decreased only slightly (240 km), whereas percentage homers was drastically significantly reduced. findings are analogous to corresponding results obtained with homing pigeons strongly suggest that also require perception signals for orientation home distances. Returning site following spring lowered anosmia, suggesting navigation is involved seasonal migrations