Influence of behavioural and morphological group composition on pigeon flocking dynamics

Animals rely on movement to explore and exploit resources in their environment. While movement can provide energetic benefits, it also comes with energetic costs. This study examines how group phenotypic composition influences individual speed and energy expenditure during group travel in homing pigeons. We manipulated the composition of pigeon groups based on body mass and leadership rank. Our findings indicate that groups of 'leader' phenotypes show faster speeds and greater cohesion than 'follower' phenotype groups. Additionally, we show that groups of homogenous mass composition, whether all heavy or all light, were faster and expended less energy over the course of a whole flight than flocks composed of a mixture of heavy and light individuals. We highlight the importance of considering individual-level variation in social-level studies, and the interaction between individual and group-level traits in governing speed and the costs of travel.

Automated summary

Animals rely on movement to explore and exploit resources, but there are energetic costs associated with it. This study explores how group phenotypic composition affects individual speed and energy expenditure during group travel in homing pigeons. The researchers found that groups consisting of 'leader' phenotypes exhibit faster speed and greater cohesion. Additionally, groups with homogenous mass composition, whether all heavy or all light, were faster and expended less energy compared to groups with a mixture of heavy and light individuals.