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

Hodgson’s field research has revealed that snails have a homing instinct of up to 30 meters (about 100 feet). — Literary Hub, 11 June 2026

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. — 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