Do Geese Use Path Integration for Walking Home?

Abstract

Whether en route information is used for homing is tested in goslings of different species and adult Domestic Geese. (1) When the geese journeyed out to the starting place with full view, they walked straight home irrespective of the path of arrival. There is no difference in homing orientation after active or passive outward journeys, and no noticeable dependence upon weather conditions. (2) Complete visual shielding during the outward journey prevents homeward orientation, as well as if the cage top and 1/3 of the sides are covered. If only the top of the transportation cage is shielded, and even if the shielding extends over the cage top 30 cm horizontally, homeward orientation is as normal. (3) The two-leg experiment clearly shows that the geese compute the home direction during the outward journey. There is also an indication that the mechanism provides the animals with information about their distance from home. Conclusion: So far our results may all be accounted for by the theoretical framework of path integration.