DISCRIMINATION AND RECOGNITION OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF PLACES BY HOMING PIGEONS

Operant studies on pigeons using slide-projected images suggest that p hotographs of geographical locations might be used as a research tool to study the importance of visual landmarks in homing. Before using th is method, however, it is necessary to show that pigeons do see photog raphic slides as representing real world locations, After reviewing th e evidence for picture-to-object correspondence for geographical locat ions in pigeons, we report the results of an experiment designed to te st whether outdoor experience at a location affected homing pigeons' a bility to categorise slides of that versus another location displayed in an operant set-up. Four birds visited one location immediately befo re each experimental session; four birds visited an irrelevant locatio n. No effect of outdoor experience was found on acquisition, or transf er to novel stimuli. The possible reasons for limitations on picture-t o-object correspondence are discussed.