homing instinct
noun
: an ability to return home from a great distance
an animal with a homing instinct
Examples of homing instinct in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Pigeons have an extraordinary ability to find their nests despite traveling vast distances, a homing instinct so reliable it was first used in ancient Egypt and was still being relied upon by militaries as recently as World War II.
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Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Notably, female sea turtles exhibit a strong homing instinct, often returning to the exact beach where they were born to lay their own eggs.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024
Burrowing owls have a homing instinct that gives them a tendency to return to where they were born, explained Christina Schaefer, a private biologist and conservancy board member.
—Emily Alvarenga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2024
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Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Notably, female sea turtles exhibit a strong homing instinct, often returning to the exact beach where they were born to lay their own eggs.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024
Burrowing owls have a homing instinct that gives them a tendency to return to where they were born, explained Christina Schaefer, a private biologist and conservancy board member.
—Emily Alvarenga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Homing instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homing%20instinct. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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