Scientists have fixed petite Global Positioning System(GPS) to pigeons to study the way how flock of birds change their directions and stay together. They hope the study will give hints to the collective behavior of human. Britain and Hungary researchers used GPS backpacks to put down the flights paths of individual pigeons and later examine the interactions among the birds.
They found a flexible system of leadership is been used by the pigeons where every pigeon plays a role with high ranking birds having more power. The finding was published on a nature’s journal last Wednesday that unveiled the decision making process and collective behavior of other classification of animals, including human.
We all have seen the astonishing stunt flying of the pigeons. But the question is how do these birds decide where to go and which direction to turn ? Who makes the decision the dominant leader or by the group is always been a mystery until now, said Dora Biro, who worked on a study of the Zoological department, Britain Oxford University.
To perform their study, the researchers placed miniature GPS systems weighing simply 16g into backpacks that are designed according to the specification and fitted to among 10 homing pigeons in a flock. The GPS loggers will help scientist to study spatial and temporal relationship amongst bird and the decision that are made within a fraction of a second.
This changing and flexible separation of individuals into leaders and the followers where the opinion of even the junior grade member represents an effective way of decision making.
Scientist added that on further studies will definitely revel the mystery to public.
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