Migrating Animals Improve Navigation Skills with Age, Study Finds
Recent research reveals that migrating animals, particularly white storks, enhance their migration efficiency through experiential learning, leading to quicker, more direct routes.
- A new study led by the University of Wyoming and Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior shows that migrating animals, like white storks, refine their migration paths as they age.
- The research, involving over 250 white storks across five breeding areas in Germany and Austria, indicates a shift from exploratory to more direct migration patterns over time.
- Experiential learning plays a crucial role in this process, with older storks taking less time to explore and opting for more energy-efficient routes.
- The findings suggest that individual experience, alongside genetics and social behavior, significantly shapes migratory behaviors.
- This study could have implications for understanding migration in a variety of animal species, highlighting the importance of learning and memory in navigational strategies.
ScienceDaily 
New Scientist 