Fly (almost) south young bird
Article Abstract:
The most important challenge for migratory birds is calibration of their celestial and magnetic compasses while following a dog-leg route. Only birds exposed to both magnetic and celestial information together are correctly oriented to the route whereas birds exposed only to the magnetic information simply fly south. Celestial rotation provides only a default direction for migrants, and the specific migratory direction is magnetically coded. This code is transferred during development to the celestial compass and is exploited during mid-migration turns.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1996
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Magnetic information affects the stellar orientation of young bird migrants
Article Abstract:
The migration direction is determination by a combination of celestial rotation and magnetic fields. The celestial rotation provides a default direction for migratory birds who move away from its centre towards the geographical south. This is modified by magnetic cues as the population-specific migratory direction is relative to the magnetic field. Relying on celestial rotation as a reference point has an ecological advantage as it helps migrants to cope with unpredictable local magnetic conditions.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1996
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Resonance effects indicate a radical-pair mechanism for avian magnetic compass
Article Abstract:
The oscillating magnetic fields disrupt the magnetic orientation behavior of migratory birds is shown with the experimentation done on the European robins. The birds exhibited seasonally appropriate migratory orientation when the oscillating field was parallel to the geomagnetic fields. These results suggest a magnetic compass based on a radical-pair mechanism.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 2004
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