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Pigeon_flock

by Teodoro Dannemann (Submitted: 06/05/2018)

Download Pigeon_flock If clicking does not initiate a download, try right clicking or control clicking and choosing "Save" or "Download".(The run link is disabled because this model uses extensions.)

## WHAT IS IT?

This model allows to visualize a real pidgeon flock from GPS data collected in Ref 1.

## HOW IT WORKS

The model takes a .csv file (included) from which it takes the (x,y,z) coordinates for each time tick. It shows the pidgeons as turtles and it draws their respective trajectories

## HOW TO USE IT

Chose the pidgeon size from the "s" slider and the press "Setup". Then press "Start" to begin the visualization. You can move the velocity of tick advance in order to obtain the best picture. Also, you can move the "D" slider to get closer or further away from the flock. You can actually chose from watching (default), riding or following the pidgeons, by clicking the corresponding buttons.

## THINGS TO NOTICE

Can you guess which one is the leader? Is there any leader at all? Notice also the changes in velocity and altitude.

## EXTENDING THE MODEL

I am currently working in sonification of these patterns. by using the sound extension is very easy to transform each pidgeon's pattern into a note (whose pitch can be represented, for instance, by the z coordinate of the pidgeon).
Also, notice that this is extendible to other sources of data. Then you could visualize fish schools, a herd of wolves, or anything you can imagine.

## NETLOGO FEATURES

I used csv extension, but from there everithing is pretty much straightforward.

## CREDITS AND REFERENCES

This visualization was made by Teodoro Dannemann: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Teodoro_Dannemann?ev=hdr_xprf

Ref 1: Santos, C. D., Neupert, S., Lipp, H. P., Wikelski, M., & Dechmann, D. K. (2014). Temporal and contextual consistency of leadership in homing pigeon flocks. PloS one, 9(7), e102771.