Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-03
BIRDS FIND THEIR WAY HOME
Experiments with biras O"r
ried ) Miles from Their
Nests.

The question as to whether animals have
a special homing sense can never be an
swered by experiments upon the homing
pigeon. 1t was this thought which led
me to make a study of distant orienta-
ton in two species of tropical birds Whlch
are found upon Bird Key, a little deserted
mound Of sand about 800 yards In dame
ter, lying in the middle Of the Gulf OF
Mexico. This key Is q member Of the Dry
Tortugas group, sixty-five miles due west
from Key West. The birds in question
are the noddy and sooty terms, belonging
to the gull family, and not differing much
in size from the homing pigeon, In the
fall and winter months they are to De
found distributed generally over the tropi-
cal waters of the Caribbean sea. On May
/, almost to the day, about 5000 to @'oOO
Of them migrate to Bird Key and remain
there for the nesting season. BIRD Key
is thus the northern limit of migration. A
study Of their habits shows that they do
not get out over the water in their search
for food for Instances greater than fifteen
to eighteen miles; consequently any dis
tanoe north of Bird Key greater than this
would take the birds into an unknown
territory. Here, IL anywhere, then, we
have material at hand for carrying out
experiments upon distant orientation. We
can send birds out over an ocean pathway
or we can send them inland. My expert
ments have not been carried very far at
the present time, but they have already
progressed far enough to give some really
astonishing results.
After the egg is laid the male and fe-
male birds take turns at brooding, and one
bird is always to be found at the nest.
At this time the birds are bold and can
be captured easily. After being captured
they are marked individually with large
streaks Of different colored oil paints.
These marking can be so varied that each
bird sent out has a different marking. The
nest is then tagged, showing the time OF
the birds removal. On the early morning
Of June 10 five birds were put into a large
insect cage and given into the charge OF
DR.. H. e, Jordan, who was returning TO
New York. He carried the birds via the
government tug to Key West. There food
was purchased for them (small minnows)
At 3 in the morning Of Friday, the l4th
DR.. Jordan boarded the Mallory boat Den
yer. which was leaving Key West at thaI
time for New York. On board the boa
the birds (Which were carried in the hold
Of the vesseD were both watered and fed
On Sunday, the 10th. at 9 in the mornint
4 the birds were released at latitude IS de
grees, longitude 70 degrees 10 minutes Zap
proximately twelve miles east Of Cape Hat
teras). The wind was fair and fresh To-
several days after the birds were released
I kept their nests under constant observa
ton. but had almost given up hope o
their return, when, to my surprise, OF
June p, at $3.50 in the morning 1 foun'
two OF the marked birds upon their re
4 speotive nests. The nest mates Of the othe
three birds had taken new nest com
p~anions; consequently, had the markei
\ birds returned, they would have been un
able to obtain possession Of the nest.
few days later l, by chance, observed on
of the marked birds attempting to align
4 at its own nest. 1t was Immediately driveI
away. Three Of the five birds are thu
known to have returned. l have ittl
! doubt that the other two birds also re
turned. The distances in a straight lin
from Hatteras TO Bird Key is approx
mately $50 miles. The along shore route 1
about 1,0sl miles. The latter Is the rout
In all probability chosen by the bird
since by studying their habits / found ths
I they do not Fly at night, nor swim nor res
upon the water, and yet are dependent upo
the ocean for their food and water. Thi
Y distance was covered IN a little less tina
q six days-Prof. JOhn y. Watson in Harper
Magazine.