News Animals

Homing pigeons may use a surprising navigation mechanism

Birds lacking iron-laden liver immune cells lost their way until the sun returned

A gray pigeon with irridescent green neck feathers takes off from the hands of a person.

By releasing homing pigeons with disabled magnetic immune cells, researchers tested whether the birds needed these cells to find their way back to the roost.

Christian Ziegler/Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

By Elizabeth Pennisi

Click here for our video on what happens when scientists release homing pigeons with disabled magnetic immune cells.

Homing pigeons don’t rely on gut instinct to return to the roost.